Of Tales and Paths
by Bathsheba Blythe
Summary: What's in store for Una after the end of WWI? Is her life going to change during her time in Redmond College? Will she be able to make peace with her lost love? Here is my take on the sequel to "Rilla of Ingleside", where you shall find the answers to those and other questions about the "steadfast" Una Meredith.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everyone! I am back and I am much _more_ than excited for this new journey ahead with this new fanfiction of mine. I just wanted to take a minute to tell you that I appreciate every one of you reading all of my stories as well as reviewing, following and favouriting them. Thank you for this amazing support :) Also, as my life is really busy and busier than ever, I want to make you aware that unfortunately, I won't be able to post new chapters in as organised and quick a way as I used to with my other fanfictions. Sorry about that! I will always try to update as soon as I can and that is what I can promise you. Once again, thank you all and... I hope you're going to enjoy this very first and new chapter :) - Bathsheba Blythe**

 ** _Chapter I_**

"This is the most exquisite snowstorm I ever did see. I _must_ admit that it is very aesthetically pleasing for your wedding-day, dear baby sister." Una smiled at Nan's lips moving as she was half-looking outside the window of Rilla's bedroom and half-concentrating on pinning her little sister Rilla's auburn curls in place.

Rilla's hazel eyes wondered off to the window, her pale complexion beaming from the white light as she smiled sweetly at Nan "It's not snowing _this_ heavily." she remarked and all the girls in the room grinned at her hopefully "But it does look very beautiful." she added with a dreamy voice which was a voice a girl about to get married to a man of her dreams should sound like.

Una turned her head from the window and looked at the girls, or rather women, filling up the room which even without the help of the light coming from the window would be able to fill the whole room with brightness.

It was the last day of the year of 1919, however, it was the first wedding in the family of the famous Blythe children. Una felt almost like a joyful shadow on that snowy day, following the events progressing rather than following people or anything else, and filling her spirit up with the atmosphere so full of love if not spread from the bride and groom but from those who loved them most dearly.

It has to be said, however, that Rilla's wedding wasn't the first one after the war in Glen St Mary. A certain Mary Vance was 'Mary Vance' no more and she was wholly Mrs Douglas as of a month earlier. Since the day of her wedding, Mary could _not_ stop always referring to being so very lucky to be a shopkeeper's wife and although most people were quite on the edge with her constant reference to this fact, including Miss Cornelia herself, Mary was truly very happy indeed. Gertrude Oliver, too, became a Mrs and was the merriest wife of Robert Grant anyone would ever be able to see or imagine her to be.

Rilla's bedroom was overfilled with beautiful young women, all carrying a different story from the past, the present and shall carry it into their future. Una always enjoyed admiring each of them separately when she'd sit back in her seat quietly, with a book in her lap or just a silent air surrounding her.

Nan's cheeks were crimson from excitement for the first wedding of her family yet Una knew that it was also Nan's excitement for her own upcoming wedding to no one else but Una's older brother, Jerry. Despite the plan for Jerry attending Redmond College first, he suddenly received a job as an editor in Charlottetown and so he accepted it gladly, especially because now he knew he was going to have a woman of his heart by his side forever starting next July. Just a month after their wedding, Jem and Faith were to elope as Jem's plan also changed and he decided: "I won't be wasting my time till I finish my degree in two years, I will marry my girl in the bloom of next summer.". Therefore, there was no surprise for Una to witness her dearest sister smiling at Rilla's creme-coloured veil with a twinkle in her own hazel eyes.

As the women surrounded little Rilla to focus on the set of her jewellery borrowed from her mother and Leslie Ford themselves, Una realised that Di sat down opposite her on the windowsill. They both smiled at each other knowingly "Have you finished your essay on 'Frankenstein' yet, my dear Una?" Di asked and Una thought as if her companion's ruddy locks were sparkling even more now than they had ever before.

"Yes, I promised myself I would finish it before coming for Rilla's wedding." she replied softly, instinctively touching her thick, black hair pinned up, if it was indeed still intact. It was indeed and so she grinned back at Di lightly "Although, I still can't quite get used to the fact that I swapped my Household Science for English Literature." she faintly chuckled which made Di smile at her wider.

"You're enjoying it, aren't you?" she asked.

"Tremendously." the black-haired faerie answered "I could argue it was the best decision I have made so far in my life." she smiled softly again, as if to herself. Her right hand wandered off to the pocket of her skirt unconsciously and her fingers touched the surface of a letter from almost five years earlier, written by a boy who was the reason for her change of course at Redmond College - she wanted to see the world through his eyes, she was determined to do whatever it takes in order to do so. Walter was always and still was at the back of Una's mind and she knew that he was too at the back of Di's mind. Such was the reason why the two of them became such good friends over the summer without necessarily speaking about Walter to each other at all. Yet, at least.

Di outstretched her hand towards her and Una took it gently in her own "I'm glad you're happy there." she said to her and something in her voice worried Una, that faint sparkle of an unfulfilled ambition, unfulfilled hunger for an adventure Di's soul always called for. Di told Una of her dream to go somewhere far away and start her life at last whilst teaching children English in a country where she herself would have to learn a different language than her own. Even though the flame-haired girl wasn't sure when or how she was to achieve this dream, Una knew inside that somehow she would. For as much as Di was a wonderful teacher at Four Winds school, her spirit and destiny laid elsewhere.

"I am." Una replied gently, squeezing back Di's hand before it fell back into her lap "I never thought I could be this happy at a university, you know. I always thought I would be happiest here, at home." she gently looked outside the window, her steadfast eyes seizing the land where Rainbow Valley glimmered in snow and Una's ears could hear the sound of Walter's bells there, momentarily.

"I know what you mean." Di said softly, smiling too "I was content there too. Besides, it's good to know that apart from your girls there, you also have your own brother, Jem and Shirley there."

Una smiled back at Di "Yes, it's always crowded at our Collwell Cottage." she said "The boys always find an excuse to drop by after their lectures or revising at the library, but somehow they never want us to come to _their_ Cottage." she giggled quietly, although with a hint of her natural melancholy tone which she couldn't hide well enough even when she tried her hardest to do so.

Di chuckled too "Oh, _I_ know the reason why." she smiled "They can't quite keep up with the mess they do over there, that's for sure." and this resulted in both her and Una laughing merrily, even if it didn't last for too long, it spread a wave of warmth over their unfulfilled hearts.

Before Una blinked, she was standing in the church of her father, as she always used to think about it, with the Bruce-boy on her side, his small hand in her only slightly bigger one, and Rosemary on her other side, all looking at Dr Gilbert Blythe bursting with pride and tears in his eyes with Rilla, glowing in love on his fatherly arm. The church was quite full of people and it was everyone Una knew, which somehow made her feel important and loved, all of those people she knew and who knew her and they truly made her feel at home, whatever the circumstances of her life or theirs were.

When Rilla met with Ken at the altar before Una's father and his smile, Una heard Bruce whispering hopefully into her ear: "Una, do you think I will be as tall as Ken one day?". She smiled down at him then and squeezed his hand in what seemed like a reassurance.

"I would never think otherwise, dearest Bruce." she whispered back to him and he sighed in contentment as if already awaiting the day his head would be even higher than Kenneth Ford's. Both Una and Rosemary shared a knowing look, laughter creeping underneath their eyes.

The ceremony was truly delightful yet Una couldn't stay focused on the words her father, Rilla or Ken spoke during it at all. She was looking at the happy eyes of Rilla's which were hidden underneath Anne Blythe's veil, and at Ken's smile, simply brimful with joy, that seemed to move around his face, and Una could feel that natural sadness in her own eyes and chest again. The pain of the past was impossible for her to ignore, and the weightless, heavy weight of Walter's letter, which was still in the pocket of her skirt pressing against her hip, was almost painful to feel as she was softly smiling through the fog of "The Wedding March" and the scene with Ken kissing his wife.

Una walked down the aisle with an entire lot of her family and friends cheering and whooping at Mr and Mrs Ford walking hand-in-hand with nothing but hopes and joys springing upon their paths which were now joined forever. Suddenly, Una felt a familiar arm being put on her shoulders "My lovely girl," John said to her softly "-am I correct in guessing that you're wistful?"

Una glanced at him and shook her head with an effort, kissing his tired cheek affectionately "Simply absorbed, father... that's all." she replied quietly and smiled at him weakly. She knew that her father wasn't convinced by her words but she was certain he knew that his further questioning wouldn't make her utter a word of real truth. Consequently, he kissed her pale cheek back and smiled at her hopefully.

"Don't get too much absorbed, dear Una." he said "Enjoy this ceremony, it's the holiest of them all as it is the one starts all the others."

Una was relieved that Rosemary put her arm through her husband's then and they both started to talk about his speech. Una then walked slowly through the chilling stillness of the air which seemed almost unearthly before she caught Bruce's arm gently and put her lips near to his ear "Darling, could you please tell mother and father that Una is going to refresh her mind and she'll come back in less than half an hour?" she whispered.

Bruce looked up at his sister with his bright blue eyes and kissed her cheek sweetly "Of course, _I can_!" he said with excitement in his merry high-pitched voice and in less than a second he started running into the crowd in front of him.

Una chuckled whilst looking at his back slowly disappearing from her vision. She then took a deep icy breath as the sound of chatter and laughter was becoming only a whisper of the wind that was hardly palpable to her ear. The Rainbow Valley was a kingdom of snow and winter but it was also so quiet and peaceful. Una thought that Walter must be hiding behind the White Lady, reading one of his poetry books without uttering a sound of life whilst being so focused on the pages his hands held. Una felt how a single, lonely tear rolled down her right cheek at the very thought.

"Una? Are you too not feeling in the right mood for the wedding just yet?"

She quickly wiped the tear away with her hand and turned around only to see Carl rushing into her direction with a soft smile on his face. "Yes, exactly that." she replied, returning his smile.

"It's not that I don't think Rilla and Ken should marry, definitely _not_ that." he continued as if trying to explain to his older sister something he has done wrong "It's just that it sort of strikes me how quickly the time goes, after the war and all." both of his eyes somehow darkened, even his poor blind eye, and had a hint of a shadow in them.

Una took his hand in her own "I know, Carl. I feel the same way." she said and they both looked at each other without sharing another word, they simply understood and tried to accept this queer air surrounding them.

"Do you sometimes wish you could just get away from here, go and see a different life elsewhere?" Carl said suddenly, his arm on Una's shoulder "Persis will be going off to France to work in fashion designing. I mean, what's not to be jealous about?" he chuckled a bit nervously and Una looked up into his bright, ambitious eyes she knew better than ever before.

"But Carl, we will soon be going back to Redmond, that's a "getting away" from here too, don't you think?" she asked him tenderly, putting her arm around his waist gently.

"Well, yes, but…" he sighed, a certain emotion coming out of his mouth like a bowl of smoke "I sometimes can't help dreaming of starting my new life, the life after the war, you know?" he looked down at her and he was a bit surprised to see a few tears rolling down his sister's cheeks. He stopped immediately upon their appearance and quickly embraced her instead "No, don't cry, dearest sister. It's all over now, it's over." he was whispering and each word was piercing Una's heart.

Una knew Carl wanted nothing else but to comfort her yet he did the opposite, he said the very words that were repeatedly flowing through her conscience like little flies flying annoyingly around one's head during a warm summer day. However, the difference was that during summer she could always wave her hand to push the flies away, yet she couldn't wave her hand to push the feeling she had in her heart ever since September 1916, when all her secret dreams of romance and a family of her own vanished. Yes, it really was over, Una thought to herself.

A chilly wind blew through her and Carl's hair as they were still embracing one another, still desperately trying to adjust to what the normality of life brought to their lives with the end of the war. That wind somehow brought something else within it, Una couldn't quite figure out what it was that God was trying to tell her by it but she knew that He was trying his hardest to give her a message of some kind. However, she knew that it would take time for her to realise what that message was exactly and she didn't mind waiting, she was used to it almost, and besides, she had all the time in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter II_**

Una didn't think that her return to Collwell Cottage in Kingsport would be as wonderfully blissful and exciting as it actually was. She enjoyed those two weeks back at her home and she really loved the snowy and joyful time at Ken and Rilla's wedding… However, the minute she saw the small, darling, dove-white Cottage again with Pamela waving from the kitchen window, she knew that Collwell was beginning to be her home too.

The Collwell Cottage must have been at least a hundred years old in September of 1919 when Una moved in there with Pamela, Joan and Cara. They enjoyed its special smell of warmth and fire inside, as well as its wooden floors which always fascinated Una and made her fantasise about the people who had walked on them before the three of them did. She was guessing that a family of Collwells built it and lived there once, but she couldn't be sure of that.

It was an early and the very first afternoon after the whole day at Redmond in the new year of 1920. The habitants of the Collwell Cottage were sitting around the table in the living room with the boys accompanying the floor, using some pillows as their shields from the coldness of the floor. The warmth from the fireplace was filling the room and its light was dancing on all the furniture, on all the people Una was enjoying a company of, and her own self too.

"So, Pam," Jem started with his funny, ruddy eyebrow raised at the girl sitting next to Una "-I saw Felix, after his Physics lesson, running after you to offer to carry your books…"

Una and everyone else, excluding Pam herself, smiled immediately, trying not to utter a chuckle " _Goodness gracious_!" Pam sighed dramatically and it was then when everyone laughed joyfully, especially Jem "Do you _really_ think that I would let him carry my books anyway?" she asked him, her blazing green eyes looking directly into Jem's.

"Well, he _does_ adore the very floor you walk on…" Carl said with a smirk which caused Pam to turn red from fury rising within her "Although I'm not entirely sure how he's capable of that, knowing that you are really in love with Beethoven... who quite frankly died two hundred years ago."

Both Jem and Shirley laughed merrily together and Una, Cara and Joan glanced at Pam trying to retain laughter in their lungs as Pam was gradually losing her temper which was short anyway. "Says a man... sorry, I'm mistaken… A _boy_ ," she insisted "-who is in love with sticky, horrible looking and completely useless bugs!" she finally said, crossing her arms in satisfaction.

Carl's smile vanished as he looked at her sternly, yet a twinkle in his eyes never truly disappearing. He mirrored her actions with his own arms " _Useless_ bugs?" he repeated with irritation "I will tell you _Miss_ Pamela…" he started but Joan put her hand up.

"Enough!" she sighed heavily, yet her smile slowly increasing "Save your arguments for some other time not when we're all here, together." she seized her sight of both Carl and Pam, causing others to chuckle as her graceful eyebrow was raised "Otherwise we can be here all day." she then turned to Pam "But, dear, Felix is quite crazy about you, you can't say 'no' to that."

Pam took a deep breath herself "I don't want him to, though!" she exclaimed helplessly "I can't ever love a man who is in no way involved with music! He'd never understand me, or my passion for opera singing or…"

"Well, you never know." Shirley said suddenly, a bit timidly "Opposites attract, or so they say." he smiled gently and Una instinctivelly smiled back at this familiar expression. She noticed Cara also smiling softly back.

"I can't argue with you, Shirley." Pam said almost hopelessly "I can argue with anyone but you!" she grinned lightly at him and he blushed slightly "Besides, we should be really talking about all those men following _you_ , Joan!" she laughed cheerfully aloud and Joan only cared to smile gently back and raise her graceful eyebrow again.

"I won't be discussing this topic again. You all know I'm not looking for a man in my life." she stood up adroitly and opened the window a little, whilst taking out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter from a pocket of her jacket "The only man I need in my life is this one right _here_." she chuckled as she lighted a cigarette like a professional mathematician she was.

Una smiled tenderly at Joan and then glanced at Cara sitting next to her, their arms linked together. Cara smiled back at her gently and Una only half listened to the conversation going on for the next five minutes. She was the happiest she's ever been, there in Collwell Cottage, with all of them surrounding her melancholy soul and she knew that their circle was something she would always come back to in her mind once she'd have her coal-black braid turn into a silvery one.

Jem had another two years at Redmond studying Medicine, Carl was studying Biology, of course, and Shirley studied Mathematics with Joan.

Joan Clarke, a very tall, slender young woman with dark round eyes and a blonde bob of hair, was the only girl in her Maths classes but she was never proud, she was this kind of woman who was different from everyone else yet to her own self she was the most translucent version she could be. Una always enjoyed listening to Joan, she had the most extraordinary thoughts in her head, a feminist with a view that the world is too complicated to ever be truly understood. Young students of Redmond College followed her everywhere, especially the ones from her Maths class for she was truly the smartest girl they ever met, and the one who wore trousers and her older brother's shirts on regular basis. Una sometimes wondered why Joan never even thought about at least allowing one of her admirers to talk to her about anything but Maths, and Una would always conclude that Joan was too ahead of her time to think about something as old-fashioned as the idea of 'courting'.

Pamela Jones, a red-headed girl with amazing blue eyes full of life and absolutely nothing to be hidden in them. She started studying History at Redmond but as much as she didn't mind it, her true passion was to sing in an opera and her voice was something so remarkable Una thought it must be heavenly. She only studied History because her parents didn't accept her desire to pursue a career in music. "They wouldn't let me go to a university at all if I would decide to study Music there." she told Una and so Pamela thought that going to a university will open up the world for her anyway, so she chose to go a different pathway which Una knew hurt her terribly. However, Pamela was a very strong, young woman of her own mind and cleverness, and so she bore that pain with her head up high and a true smile on her round face.

Finally, there was Cara Peterson, a perfect, quiet companion of Una's own timid persona. They both studied English Language and Literature and therefore they were in the same classes which made Una incredibly happy as Cara was the only person, apart from Shirley, who could truly understand her without Una uttering even a word. Cara was the shortest of them all, she had a perfect little round face with her wavy, brown hair and small grey eyes, her pink lips in the shape of a heart and Una thought she looked like an earthly angel inside and out. As much as Una was shy, Cara was more so and her only ambition in life was to be kind and have children by adopting them from orphanages. That was also why Una enjoyed spending time with Cara, she too wasn't clear about what her future would look like or even how she herself would like it to look like. Cara was a person who could always make her feel a bit more optimistic each time she'd look at her. Una also suspected that that was why Shirley was so close to Cara as well as her, just like he was even before the war, their timidness made them more open towards each other.

That was how Una's life carried on in the first month of the year 1920 and she knew that her decision to start studying in Redmond College was the best decision of her life. She never knew how much she'd enjoy learning, reading all of those novels and new poems and learning the new way of how to look at them all, like Walter was looking at them himself once. It was very strange for her to sit in the English classroom almost every day and look around it, she could almost see Walter sitting there on another table, ferociously writing down notes with a familiar frown upon his forehead. However, as soon as Una's mind would come back to the ground from the clouds, and incredible warm coldness started enveloping her, almost like a cloud she had been on seconds earlier, she could feel how that coldness was a disguise for her internal pain. She hated that feeling because she knew she couldn't do anything about it, she could only wait for it to pass with time.

It was soon the very evening when Una was cleaning the dishes in the sink with Cara, and Joan with Pam, sitting at the table next to them whilst finishing up their work for university the day after. The gramophone was playing its sweet sounds of Victor Herbert's "Indian Summer" and Una found herself smiling with her eyes closed and her right foot tapping along to its beat and rhythm. In that moment, her mind felt free at last. "I so wonder if that's what an Indian summer feels like!" Pam exclaimed theatrically as she rose from her seat suddenly, her hands on her hips. Only Joan seemed as not to have noticed her action at all.

Una and Cara glanced at one another knowingly with their soft, mirroring smiles directed at one another. "I think it could be but then neither of us have ever been to India so we can't know for sure." Una replied softly as she was wiping a bowl in her hands.

Pam sighed and stood next to Una, leaning against the kitchen table, with her legs far in front of her "Hm…" she said "I always thought it must be different than what Herbert simulates here. I suppose the only thing left is for us to go there one day and judge for ourselves." her eyes brightened up suddenly as she caught Una's hands in her own, a towel in between their pairs of hands "Oh, promise me girls that we'll all go to the Indies together as soon as we finish Redmond!" she looked expectantly at Una first and then at each of the other women in the kitchen.

"But, Pammie, you can never know what else God can bring to your doorstep in two years time." Cara protested gently as she put the last glass back into the cupboard.

"Well, I suppose, but don't you think it would be so amazingly _glorious_?" Pam pushed a strand of her red hair with a wave of her hand as she continued smiling dreamily.

Una smiled at her softly before sitting opposite Joan who almost immediately then stopped writing and closed her book. She glanced up at Una and smiled sweetly at her before turning to Pam "Have you finished your History essay, Pamela?" she asked her.

Pam's cheeks suddenly turned pure white as she clasped her hands together in nervousness "My _God_ , I haven't even started it yet! How could I forget!" she exclaimed and kissed Joan three times before running out of the kitchen and up the stairs "Thank _you_ , Joanie!" they could her her before a sound of a door shutting filled the air.

"Oh, I hate this nickname." Joan said almost decisively and then sighed as she sipped her already cold tea "But it would be nice to go to India, though." she smiled and then made Una and Cara to chuckle too.

"It would be the craziest thing in the world." Una said, marvelling at the very idea, so exotic and distant that she almost thought it possible.

Joan took Una's hand in hers and grinned sadly down at her "After the war, everyone deserves at least a little bit of this craziness, Una." she said in her low voice which Una found irresistable because it sounded as if an immortal voice was speaking to her " _You_ need it too." she winked at her and after patting Cara's shoulder with "You too, Cara." Joan crossed the kitchen and started going upstairs as well. It was obvious to both Una and Cara, though, that she was going to her room just to read some more Maths as to lull herself to sleep which was always a struggle for her without her subject book in her arms.

Una smiled at Cara softly, who smiled back at her. The two quiet souls who went through a heartbreak during the war, even though Una's was the loss of her love and Cara's a loss of her brother, without words they knew that Joan was right. And somehow, as Una was lying in her bed that night, she could feel that a change was hanging in the air around her. She wasn't sure what it meant or how she should feel about it but she was certain of one thing: after all those long mournful years, she was _excited_.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter III_**

3rd February 1920

Dear Diary,

I solemnly swear that from now on I will make it a tradition to write in this journal every single Sunday afternoon. I have been writing in here so irregularly ever since I have come back from Glen after Christmas that I almost don't recognise myself for such lack of organisation.

There are quite a lot of different things that happened in between and about which I haven't spoken about in here just yet. This is why today's entry will be long and I am excited about writing something that isn't an English essay. I mean, I _do_ love studying English and I do love analysing and writing essays but for the past month, our teacher decided to make us do countless amounts of essays and so I must tell the truth which is that I am simply tired and in great need of a break from College life.

Joan has started to leave our Cottage quite frequently and at strange hours of the day at that. She either leaves very late at night (I only hear how she opens and then closes her bedroom door which is right next to mine) and comes back in the morning before breakfast; or she leaves very early, before breakfast, and comes back in the late afternoon. She doesn't speak about it really and Joan has a personality of a mysterious cat, so I don't dare to ask her directly what's going on before she's ready to tell us herself. She told us that she revises with a friend yet this leads us into thinking that she has a secret sweetheart, she is the only girl in her Maths class after all. Pam and Cara also think so but I still have this inkling that it's not that exactly. Well, I am not a nosy person and I respect Joan's privacy and her own, more private life, and so I will simply wait for her to be ready and tell us what's going on (if anything actually is).

Other than this specific situation, Joan hasn't changed at all and she still has admirers from her class following her steps everywhere with her not even merely nodding in their direction which always makes me giggle inside. She's oblivious to her own pride and it suits her, with her trousers and polo shirts and a short bob. I truly admire Joan's pride and her bravery to be different than others. It really takes courage and much more than that to acknowledge your own unique personality, not to call yourself insane, and then act upon it by being different. She is exactly that and she is truly the only person I know who is so dramatically different when compared to others yet who at the same time could not be anyone else but our lovely, clever and proud Joan.

Speaking of Joan, last week she told us that there will be a new student coming to her Maths class. The information on its own is quite exciting but there's another part of it which simply thrills us all. The new student coming to Redmond College in early April is coming right from India! Yes, _India_! A land so far away and so unknown to all of us that I am not quite sure what to expect from him at all. From all we know about him so far is that his name is Dalvir Singh and that he is simply so brilliant in Maths that the teachers in his village got him a placement at Redmond after almost a year of sending their recommendations about Mr Singh to Canada. He for sure will be Joan's competitor and she couldn't be more excited about it: "I've longed for a fierce, breathtaking competition of great minds filled with endless numbers." she told me and I am excited for her too, even though my own mind is not, never was and never will be, filled with numbers.

Our lovely Jem stepped up to the mark already and he spent the last four days begging all Maths teachers, whom obviously don't know either Jem and Jem doesn't know them, to allow him to write to Mr Singh himself with an invitation to stay and live with all three of them in their house starting from April. He succeeded in his quest, as Jem usually does, and he sent the kindest letter possible to Mr Singh yesterday. When he came up with this plan I felt so immensely warm inside, because it is such a gift for someone coming here from such a far away country like India is. Jem concluded, with both Shirley and Carl too (who readily agreed on the plan Jem came up with), that it is very likely that this new student will be treated differently in one way or another because he surely will look and will speak differently to everyone else. It is such a horrible realisation but I'm afraid we must be aware of all the misfortunes life can bring to us all, in all various situations. I, for one, will do everything to make Mr Singh as comfortable in Kingsport as it is possible for me to do so because I would _hate_ to see someone become hurt for no reason at all but his origin. Shakespeare's Viola might "hate dishonesty in a man" more than anything else yet I hate seeing pain and suffering in others, especially those undeserving of such a treatment, instead. Therefore, I am really excited to meet this new student and learn more about him. I'm sure all the boys will do everything to make him feel at home here in Kingsport.

Jem and Shirley _cannot_ stop teasing Carl and Pamela. They tease Carl about his "courting ways" towards Pam and they tease Pamela for exactly the same thing. I can see why this teasing takes place, though. After all, the two of them joke around together frequently and they constantly argue about something but it's not the "I really don't like you" kind of arguing at all, it's quite the opposite. It's always quite a spectacular and a much funnier performance, I must say. However much we all think that they 'like' each other, I can't judge it at all because both reject it fiercely and so I really don't have a reliable opinion about it.

There are so many little romances going on at the College that sometimes I feel very isolated, emotionally especially, from everyone else. I have an inkling that Shirley starts to develop sheep's eyes but I haven't figured out for whom just yet. Then there's Carl and Pam, and Pam's Felix (Oh, she'd hate me for writing about Felix like that!), Joan's secret sneaking out of the house and her countless admirers too… Cara, of course, is a lonely soul like me so I find comfort in this little acknowledgement we share. Yet, I have a feeling she'll soon find someone who will completely sweep her off her feet if it won't be her who will sweep someone off _their_ feet even sooner. She never experienced this kind of love for anyone before, like I have, and that's what sets me apart from her still.

I still can't believe this September there will be a fourth-year marking dearest Walter's death. I still sometimes think of it as only a nightmare that I dreamt one night. But then I reach out my hand to the pocket of my skirt (or later in the day: underneath my pillow) and I find his last letter to Rilla… That's when I know I must wake up to the reality that Walter is not in and will not ever be in it, on this Earth, again. It breaks my heart every time to realise this epiphany which dawns on me at least twice a day, especially before I go to sleep and look outside my window. That's when I see the big, bright moon on the night's sky, shining like a firing hope that somehow still fills me but which I always desire to fight down. It's this hope of loving and being loved in this way. I swore that love would never enter my life again and I intend to keep this promise because I don't think love can ever shake me and my soul like this ever again.

I can't believe I actually wrote those feelings down. I feel as if I can _breathe_ again! No one knows about them but me and now you, Diary, or whoever might read this in the years to come. It's not all of my thoughts on this topic, though. But for now, I think that's all I can manage to put onto paper.

It's almost midnight here and so I think I must make myself fall asleep somehow, but I know it will be the hardest thing for me to do right now.

Nevertheless, good night.

Yours truly,

Una

* * *

12th March 1920

My dearest Una,

How glad I am that you had this one week off and could relax a bit, my darling! Honestly, you are way too hard-working for any university in this world and therefore, I am warning you, dear, you _need_ to take a day off every week or otherwise, I will come right down to Kingsport and smack you on your bottom! You can laugh all you want, but I shall do just that if you'll overwork yourself, dear Una.

Regarding your questions about myself and the family, I will start this letter with the good feelings I still have inside of my head.

I _cannot_ believe that my baby sister Rilla, who is and always will be a _baby_ to me, will have her own baby in September! My goodness, Una, you have no idea how much celebration we all had here in Glen to cheer upon this extremely happy news. Ken is bursting with joy over it and he's way too careful with Rilla who doesn't resist his extra care and affection for her at all. He has his hand either on her own or on her waist or on her belly - all the time. His eyes are reserved _only_ for her and they are certainly much more in love with one another than ever before. This makes my heart jump with happiness, and I'm sure that it makes your heart to jump in the same way, dearest Una. Rilla is convinced it's a boy, even though Ken thinks it's a girl and it's so very funny to watch them argue about that almost every day. It seems, surprisingly, as if the old days from before the war came back, with all those merry small moments we haven't learned to treasure before the year of 1914 knocked on our doors. Everything changes yet I have a feeling that it comes back to how it was - _gradually_ \- you know what I mean?

My Mother is still in shock over having her daughter not only married but now also pregnant. She told me the other day: "It fills me up with so much wonder: Rilla and Ken, the newlyweds, living together in the House of Dreams and now expecting their first baby… I don't think I'd have ever believed that this sweet darling house would live to see this day when I myself was a newlywed living there with your Father!". Although, I do have a feeling that underneath her joy to welcome her first grandchild into the world so soon, she worries about this _maybe_ (Heaven forbid!) possible repetition of how she and Dad lived their first year in the House of Dreams and then welcomed the angel Joyce into the world which she left so quickly… I can see this faint yet clear worry in my Mother's eyes but she doesn't want to say it aloud, I won't and can't blame her for that either.

You asked me about Nan and her wedding preparations with Jerry. My goodness, Una, Nan is getting on my nerves _so much_ these days! All she ever talks or thinks about is this wedding of hers! I mean, I'm tremendously happy for both her and Jerry for being so deeply in love with each other and being so ready to start their lives together, but… How many hours during the day and night can one think about their wedding? You know that Nan and I are inseparable, never have been otherwise anyway, we share the same bedroom still but it seems that Nan has put me on a different level of her priorities whilst she is still as my very first one if she'd only like it. At first, I was quite hurt but now I am only filled with anger towards her and I do snap at her several times a day yet she _still_ doesn't seem to notice!

Una, I swear to you, I am nearer and nearer a day when I'll decide to grab a suitcase, throw some clothes into it and leave for Italy (you know how I always imagined myself living there). I feel I will do it, as soon as I'll come up with what exactly I'd do there. Una, I am in need of a new beginning. A true, new, completely fresh, in a new place and time. You know I love Canada and home and my family (including you, my dear) but sometimes there comes a time in one's life when you need to be selfish and make a living to suit yourself and nobody or anything else. I encourage you, dear, to make this decision too. Be selfish, Una, _be selfish_ and I guarantee you that you'll feel better about life.

Now, I need you to keep on writing to me. Your letters are full of everything I need, this mix of familiar and unfamiliar and I absolutely marvel at all your descriptions of Joan and Pamela and so I can't wait to meet them one day! So, dearest, keep on writing those long, darling letters and do let me know how you're feeling and what's on your mind because I'm sensing that you still haven't recovered fully from the war. But then, who has or ever will fully recover from it? But _do_ tell me everything, dearest Una, I feel like you need to let your feelings out to feel as free as a bird like you _should_ feel.

I wish you a good day, or a good night, depending on the time of day that you're reading this letter.

Stay happy and free.

Your faithful friend,

Diana


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter IV_**

""Let me not to the marriage of true minds/Admit impediments. Love is not love/Which alters when it alteration finds,/Or bends with the remover to remove…"" Una's low whisper filled the piece of air surrounding her with a small, handy book in her own hands. Moonlight shone on her face as well as on the page of Shakespeare's book of sonnets which she never truly understood and fell in love with before her teacher started to analyse those sonnets two weeks earlier. Una was immersed in the intensity of them, the passion and everything she ever longed for. All of this was almost encapsulated by the moonlight coming from her window onto the page of Sonnet 116. She thought then that it looked as if the paper was made of silver.

As Una's head was filled with a storm of thoughts and feelings, she laid on her back, on her bed, with the book on her chest. She started to cry, knowing no one would hear her as everyone in the Collwell Cottage was asleep already.

"Una? Why are you crying?"

Una's eyes opened swiftly and just as quickly she sat on her bed, staring at the figure of Joan closing the door of Una's bedroom behind her silently. "Joan!" she exclaimed quietly, her heart still pounding from the surprise of seeing her "I thought you'll be coming back in the morning like you always do." Una swiftly started wiping away her tears with her hand but Joan out-quicked her by pulling out her handkerchief and upon sitting next to her, started to dry off her tears gently, smiling tenderly at her with the moonlight shining on her pale face and blonde messy bob.

"Well, today I came back earlier." Joan said with a glare of pain flowing across her eyes for what seemed less than a second. Una noticed it nevertheless but decided on not saying anything about it. Instead, she smiled wistfully at Joan whilst small rivers still flowed down her cheeks "Please, dearest, tell me what made you so terribly unhappy?" she asked her while squeezing her hands in hers, reassuringly.

"I've been reading Shakespeare's sonnets," Una replied softly, wiping away another portion of her tears with Joan's handkerchief "-and they reminded me of… quite painfully, of Walter." she whispered his name as if afraid to break the very name, just like it was breaking her heart at that moment.

Una's face suddenly overflowed with uncontrollable tears and Joan quickly embraced her and rocked her for a few minutes, brushing her hair without a word, simply understanding. Una knew that she had to let those tears fall, however much she resisted them earlier and still was. However, those tears were holding her back from simply being alive and so she decided that she had to let them go. When she did, she felt as if a huge weight from her shoulders has been lifted and she couldn't be more joyful yet all the more sorrowful about it and the whisper of the promise she made to herself all those years earlier was still clinging on to her heart.

Joan knew that Walter was a brother of Jem and Shirley and that he died in the war. She was told of his poetic spirit which died with his owner. However, she didn't know that Una cared for him in this way at all. It was only on that night when Una told her, poured her heart out to that wonderful, out of the ordinary girl who willingly listened to this story of Una's sorrows. "Darling," she said to her quietly as she squeezed Una's trembling hand "-I can't say that I fully understand and know how you feel, but I know that Walter would never want you to have your heart closed because of him. It's quite literally making you ill." she looked at her worriedly, putting her hand on Una's forehead instinctively.

Una smiled at Joan as she put her hand away and wiped away her tears again "I'm glad that someone finally said this to me." she said tenderly, her voice breaking "It was usually the voice at the very back of my head telling me so but my heart wouldn't listen at all. Now, this back of my head is more willing to hear you, Joan."

Joan smiled gallantly at her "You have to re-open your heart, Una, to the possibilities of romance and love which can enter your life at _any_ moment! You just have to let it be open." she looked more deeply into her eyes "You have to let yourself be free."

Una thought silently about those words for a few moments and then whispered breathlessly "It's just so hard to forget all of those dreams that are buried with him in France." her voice was so heartbreaking and painful that Joan, the most difficult person to break in any way, felt as if something was stuck in her own throat.

"I know, dear." she said finally "But you spent the last four years in agony and search after them. It's time to let the new ones replace them."

Una didn't quite like the idea of "replacing" her dreams about Walter but she couldn't bring herself to say it aloud for she knew that she did have to do something about them either ways. However, something in Joan's eyes made Una ask her something else instead "Joan," she said "-have you ever been in love?" she asked her.

Joan's eyes almost twitched and her face was thoughtless which it never was. Una was half-surprised, half-expecting this reaction but she possibly did not expect the shadow of a pain flushing before Joan's eyes for a moment so easily to be unseen. "Una," she said in a low voice "-I know it will be difficult for you but you must be ready for love to enter your life. And I think, in your case, it might be very unexpected indeed." she winked at her mischievously and Una smiled at her with a sound of a chuckle appearing in her mouth.

But Una went to sleep that night having two burdens on her mind: her mission to divorce her dreams of Walter, and her acknowledgement of the fact that Joan did not answer her question.

* * *

April came through the grey clouds like the rays of sunshine and the beginning of spring was marked by its air. It was a day after Una's return to Kingsport after Easter break at her home, when she had all her lectures cancelled and she had the full day to herself. Cara was to come back the next day and the others had their lectures per usual. After revising the Brownings for the entire morning, Una, therefore, decided to go for a refreshing, spectacular walk yet she still wasn't aware of just how spectacular it would actually turn out to be.

She listened to the magical birdsong and she delighted her senses with feeling the sunshine bathing her pale face and her raven-black hair which was put into a messy braid. Suddenly she heard a hellish, masculine laughter coming from the other side of the road. She swiftly opened her eyes, her heart pounding furiously as she heard their violent moves towards someone groaning in pain. She stopped immediately and looked: four young men in the Redmond College uniforms were delighting themselves into beating up a man who was lying on the ground and trying in every way to avoid their punches, yet quite hopelessly. Una's heart froze at the sight so cruel and violent like she's never seen before and suddenly, a car approached the scene and the men quickly jumped inside it, shouting to the poor man on the ground: "Go back to where you've come from!" which made something in Una's mind click.

She flew across the road in the full force of her spirit of help and she knelt beside the man whom she quickly discovered to be just as young as herself. "Are you alright, sir? Can you sit up?" she asked him breathlessly and carefully.

The man turned around and painfully started to sit up with Una's help who was still kneeling beside him. He then turned to her finally and smiled with such an enormous amount of gratitude that Una's heart melted instantly. Only then she saw how he really looked like and she was certain that it was indeed Mr Singh. He was clearly a man of Asian heritage with his skin caramel-like and his bushy hair even blacker than Una's own. He had a very handsome face, more handsome than Una ever imagined he would have with a light touch of a black beard on his chin and on the side of his cheeks, as well as the kindest brown eyes Una has ever seen. She didn't expect him to wear clothes as normal and casual as the ones her brothers always wore yet he did, and he still had a suitcase lying beside him; _he must have just arrived, poor soul_ , Una thought to herself.

"I think I'm bruised a little, Miss." he replied in a soft and deep voice "But thank you for asking." he spoke English very well with a sweet touch of accent Una only heard about from Faith's nursing experience.

Una smiled tenderly at him "I'll help you get up, Sir." she said and put her hands on his arms to steady him as they both stood up. She was almost terrified at the surprise of how tall he was, taller than any man she ever saw.

"Thank you… Miss." he said gracefully with a smile of pain as he reached for his suitcase "I feel very grateful for meeting such a kind soul at last."

Una smiled up at him again yet her heart ached "I'm so terribly sorry and ashamed of how those men treated you." she said to him "I do hope that I can help you to get to your destination?"

He replied with a smile "I would be most honoured." he outstretched his hand to her "I'm Dalvir Singh, the new Mathematics student." he introduced himself.

Una shook his hand happily "Una Meredith, an English Language and Literature student." she said with a tender smile which Mr Singh reciprocated at once. She looked down at his hand and gasped suddenly " _Mr Singh_! You're bleeding!" she exclaimed as she put both of her hand instinctively on his red sleeve. Mr Singh, as if just noticed, looked at his hand and chuckled very lightly.

"That's why I must feel so weak all of a sudden." he said and Una enveloped his arm with hers strongly as they started to walk.

"I'm taking you to Collwell Cottage, it's a place where I live. I will take care of your wounds, Mr Singh, before I will let you go to your destination." she said decidedly, surprising herself of her stubbornness.

He looked down at her with another gentle smile "I really doubt that I was ever so much taken care of in my life." he said as they walked arm-in-arm "And do call me Dalvir."

Una looked into his eyes and she smiled at him merrily "Alright. I'm very happy to make your acquaintance, Dalvir." she said, enjoying the sound of his name "Now, you must call me Una."

He smiled down at her with joy which Una thought must have been a relief as well "I'm quite literally enchanted to meet you, Una."

She blushed a little and then chuckled softly with him as they were passing the Park on the corner and the white Collwell Cottage was already in their sight. Una nodded in its direction "There, we're almost here." she said to her new acquaintance.

Dalvir looked in that direction and all of a sudden his eyes sparkled with excitement and delight as if he was looking at something very exotic "I really feel as if I was in a magical land, somewhere far away, it looks so different and yet still beautiful, this country of Canada." he said in a soft, mesmerised voice.

Una smiled at his reaction as she reached for her keys and started to open the door. She nearly tripped over the step and Dalvir caught her just in time. They looked at each other for a second out of surprise and then burst out laughing just as the smell of warmth and spring surrounded them from the ancient walls of the Collwell Cottage. Their laughter seemed to add something to the air around them and Una, in that very moment, felt as if her gloomy thoughts could vanish if she'd put her mind to that specific mission because in that very moment they did. Una found Dalvir's laughter reminding her of something, something familiar yet she couldn't place it anywhere and just like that she felt, without knowing anything about him yet, that they were kindred spirits.

When they calmed down, they smiled at each other and Una felt how her cheeks were crimson from laughter and stuffy air inside the Cottage so she hurried to take her coat and hat off, and helped Dalvir to do the same. "You have a lovely place, Una. It smells of home and kindness already." he said to her as she sat him down on the chair in the living room and hurried to the kitchen to get some emergency bandages she always had in the top cupboard as well as some water and a sponge.

"Thank you, Dalvir." she replied gently when she came back, ready with her hands prepared and her sleeves rolled up nicely "But you must know that I don't live here by myself, three other girls live here with me. They all go to Redmond too and one of them, Joan, will be in your Maths class." she said as she started to practice the art of nursing on the not so horrible yet still quite visible and painful wounds of Dalvir's arm. She was now doing exactly what her sister always loved so much and Una felt as if Faith was with her in spirit just in that very moment.

Dalvir smiled wider "Really? That is so very exciting to meet new people. I can hardly remember all the names of the people living in my village back in India, it's too many of them! So I must say that it will be a joy to know only a handful here and actually remember their names." he said and Una chuckled as she looked up at him curiously with a smile.

"What part of India are you from, Dalvir?" she asked him.

"Punjab, but I lived in a very small village there, you wouldn't even find it on the map." he replied gently, a black curl falling graciously on his nose "I can assure you that it is incomparably different to this country." he smiled whilst looking around the room with wonder in his shining eyes.

Una looked up at him again, trying to imagine Dalvir wearing his traditional colourful clothing and being surrounded by hundreds of people from his village. She grinned wider at the thought and patted his hand very gently with a sponge "I can't say that I can exactly imagine India then." she said "If it's so very different to Canada, I'm not sure my imagination can transport me there vividly enough."

He grinned back at her "The best way to imagine it is to think of all the bright colours you can think of, then the nature, the heat, and the smell of every possible seasoning you can think of."

Una closed her eyes for a moment longer to capture that image which was as exploding, exotic and exciting as her new friend sitting in front of her was. "I really hope I will go there one day." she said wonderingly.

"I have a feeling you will." he replied softly and then looked down at his arm as Una started to roll his sleeve down, finishing her nursing moment. Una looked up at him again, her heart overcome by a warm, tender feeling and she smiled back at him. "Thank you very much, Una." he said to her and then squeezed her hand as if to show her he meant it "I think that we have already… how would you say it?… a connection of friendship. Don't you think?" his eyes and voice spoke of the 'I can't wait to hear and know everything about you.' kind of feeling and all the excitement surrounding a developing friendship. Una saw and heard it in his voice and expression of his chocolate-like eyes and she reciprocated with a pat of her hand on his.

"Most definitely, Mr Dalvir Singh." she replied so cheerfully, she surprised herself.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter V_**

It was with Di's letter in her hands, that Una entered the Kingsport Park. It was so silent and full of secrets of spring that she thought she shouldn't even be there, not in the early hours of the morning when not a single human being but herself was in there. She enjoyed this alienation though, she enjoyed the smell of the trees blooming with beating vibrations of May all around her whilst everyone else was still blissfully sleeping in their comfy beds for the next twenty minutes before waking up to the light of a new day.

Di applied for a job as an English teacher in an English school in Tuscany. "If I'll get it then I am moving to Italy as soon as possible because the first lesson would be in October this year." she wrote to Una in a messy handwriting, full of excitement "But I try not to think about it all too much because I think I could very easily lose my mind if I did!" and Una had to pause.

She looked up from the letter in her hands and glanced at the breaking rays of the sun, dancing in between the branches of the trees around her. She was sitting on her favourite bench in the Park and she felt so connected with nature and its peace that she couldn't help smiling. Di's excitement made her smile even wider for Una was praying in her head so that Di could get that job because she knew that it would make Di's life quite complete.

"I made peace with Nan at last." Di wrote "We talked it out, her obsession with the wedding and everything else. I was surprised she understood my point so quickly and readily! Yet, I can't express to you, Una, how happy I am to finally be able to have my twin back on the ground and away from the clouds."

Una smiled at this line and stopped reading again. She looked up once more and gazed upon the dance of the leaves on the trees, softly moved by the gentle morning wind. It seemed as if everything was slowly falling into place in her friend's life and Una was very happy about it. She only wished that her mind and the pieces of it, as well as those belonging to her heart, would too one day fall into their correct places. At that precise time, she felt as if that ever so relieving day could never come into her life and so she decided to rejoice in Di's own mending of her own pieces, that was what she had left to do.

Una's mind was full of thoughts and memories, jumping back and forth. It wasn't unusual for her though. That was a phenomenon which always happened to her each time she'd come to the Kingsport Park or any other place surrounded by nature, by herself. It was no surprise for her then that she remembered a conversation from two days before, with Pamela, Joan, and Cara.

They were all sitting on the floor, next to the fireplace, with the darkness of night creeping at them through the windows. It was Pamela who eventually realised just then that both Felix and Carl were after her completely. "Thank God you've noticed!" Joan laughed "I was starting to think that you might be either blind, deaf or most possibly both.". In response to this, Pamela crossed her arms with a sharp, pretentious sigh directed at Joan and then she smiled to herself after a second of thinking.

" _Ha_!" she chuckled "I have _two_ admirers! Two! That's so gorgeous, girls, don't you think? Well, maybe not gorgeous... at least it's exciting!" her own voice jumping up and down like a crazy elevator causing Joan, Cara and Una to look at each other in a dizzy manner and laugh together. "I must say, Joan," Pam continued with a sly look at the possessor of a blonde, shining bob "-just give me until September and I might get half as many admirers as you _already_ have."

That made an unexpected change in the atmosphere between them. Joan's face was grave and looked almost frustrated. Her always pale cheeks were now crimson and Una touched her hand instinctively but Joan seemed not to even have felt it. "Can you _stop_ that?" she snapped at Pamela "For once and for all, can everyone just _stop_ saying that I have countless, as you say, "admirers"? It's nothing to be proud of, it's nothing to be excited about or grateful for. I _hate_ it. You know I do. So just bloody _stop_ reminding me!" she rose to her feet without a trace of tiredness she declared half an hour earlier, and started for the stairs. However, she turned around once more to look at Pamela with a softer look "I didn't mean to shout. Sorry." and she ran up the stairs without uttering another word till the next morning.

Una went towards Joan's room later and Joan only put her head through the gap and said that she was fine with a not exactly reassuring smile. However, Una didn't want to pressure her as she always used to be a strong believer of having some things and pieces of yourself only you can have an access to. However, this didn't stop Una from thinking about why Joan had such an outburst because of such an unimportant thing like teasing between friends. Yet, she couldn't and even two days later figure it out at all. She only hoped that one day she'd know what it was that Joan's soul was unable to digest.

At the corner of her eye, Una saw a flickering dark red rose, a single one in the green bush on her right side. She turned her head in its direction with a sense of curiosity and smiled at it with a twinkling in her eyes, her mind distracted with a different thought again. The rose reminded her of Dalvir.

He was now a settled roommate of the boys at their house and Una couldn't be happier about that as well as the fact that he quickly became a great friend of all his roommates. There wouldn't pass a single day when the two of them didn't talk for at least half an hour. Nonetheless, after knowing each other for almost a month Una still knew that she had more learning about Dalvir to do and she acknowledged the fact that he too had to learn a few quite particular things about her as well.

"Why Maths, Dalvir? Why do you love it so much?" she asked him a day before as the two of them walked side by side, exactly in Kingsport Park, near the spot where Una was watching the rose at the moment.

Dalvir looked down at her with his bashful smile and his hands behind his back "Because no one ever believed that I could be good at it." he replied softly "My village is really poor and in order for me to go to school my uncle had to pay for it himself because my parents couldn't afford it. I had to walk each day for 5 miles one way when I was only seven." he chuckled a bit painfully and Una looked into his brown eyes with an amazed gaze in her own.

"You are so brave, Dalvir." she murmured, trying to imagine the smaller version of him walking on a sandy road, alone, just to get to sit in classes at school whilst most of the students from the Glen school in her year did everything to miss them.

"Brave?" he repeated a bit surprised, but a smile never left his lips "No, Una, I'm quite a coward, I must tell you. It's determination, not bravery, that could wake me up each morning before sunrise just to go to school for a few hours in the next village."

She grinned at him warm-heartedly and squeezed his arm gently for reassurance of her understanding of him "I'm in awe, Dalvir." she said tenderly.

He laughed lightly at her expression, Una marvelling at its golden and honest sound. "It was nothing for me." he answered "The mystery behind the numbers, equations, algorithms… it became everything to me as it distracted my mind from the poverty around and within me. Maths gave me something to live for, to strive for, you understand?" he asked her hopefully, his eyes speaking for themselves and Una thought that it was them that spoke to her more than his lips did.

She nodded with a reciprocal smile "Yes, I think I do." she replied "Joan told me you are incredibly good at it."

His dimples deepened and although Una knew she couldn't really see the actual redness behind the shade of his caramel cheeks, she was sure he blushed. "Well, tell her I thank her for such a compliment. She's excellent at it. We compete all the time, you know." he winked at Una and she laughed, trying to imagine it in her mind "What about you, Una? Why English?" he asked her suddenly.

Una hesitated for a second as she didn't want to lie, she never could anyway. Her mind became a machine, busy with working to answer and she looked to her left, where she saw a bench standing next to the bush of greenery with a single rose in between it. She walked towards it and poured its smell into her nose with delight ""At Christmas I no more desire a rose,/Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows;/But like of each thing that in season grows."" she said both to the rose and to Dalvir who now watched her in fascination.

"Who wrote that?" he asked a bit sheepishly.

"Shakespeare." she said, her fingers delicately touching the petals of the rose and her eyes eventually falling on Dalvir "I can't resist anything he ever wrote." she smiled at Dalvir who smiled back at her as he stepped closer and he too glanced down at the rose.

"I don't know any poetry and I can't say I'm proud of that fact." he admitted in a quiet tone "So I hope you'll teach me why it's as amazing as it seems to be." his eyes met Una's and they both smiled at each other knowingly.

"I can certainly try although I don't think I'm a very good teacher." she said a bit shyly, her cheeks pinking up. Dalvir rested his hand reassuringly on hers.

"Well, I have a feeling you're a better teacher than I an English student." he added "An English student in all meanings of this term." Both he and Una started laughing then, and after a few seconds they still continued to do so, letting their voices be heard by the silence surrounding them yet forgetting what was the reason behind their feeling so happy in that one, small moment.

Una smiled gently at that fresh memory and she prayed in her mind to keep this single memory and the emotions enveloped within it forever in her head. A tender chilly breeze and a ray of the sunshine on her face made her open her eyes again and come back to the reality. A reality was what she wished she could change although she wasn't sure how yet a voice at the back of her mind was constantly telling her to think of such a solution.

She looked down at Di's letter in her hands and realised she hasn't finished reading it. "I am extremely happy that I am the person who will be the one to tell you right now (as Mary told me this precisely ten minutes ago) that _Mary Vance_ of the old times will become a mother in November. Yes, _this_ November, Una!" her handwriting started to become rushed with further excitement and disbelief that overcame Una as well "Can you in any way imagine this poor child we met such a long time ago, in such an unbelievably horrible state, is now going to be a responsible (let's all pray and hope so) parent to her own baby? I can't grasp this new information at all. I still can't get used to little Rilla having a bump of her own and now Mary! Crazy times are coming, dearie, I'm warning you! But I couldn't be more excited about the future, I can only hope that you feel the same way about it."

Una did feel the same. She was smiling at the piece of paper in her hands and as she was folding it and putting it back into her bag. However, as she arose from the bench and started to slowly walk back to the Cottage, her mind became clouded and her blue, steadfast eyes were turned into their state of melancholy which had a routine of haunting her back and back again. As the wind blew into her face like a soft touch of a sweetheart's hand on one's cheek, the black-haired faerie was exiting the Kingsport Park with her mind overfilled with what she had lost in the year of 1916 "somewhere in France".

* * *

 **Hello, my lovely readers! I just wanted to take a minute to say: thank you _all_ for your patience with my busy life not enabling me to post one chapter a week like I used to. I'd really love to have enough time to do just that! **

**Thanks so much to _all_ of you reading this story, reviewing it and so on. You have no idea how happy I am to read all of your comments about it and also just to know that you take some time off your own busy lives to read a new chapter I posted :) **

**Thank you again. Until the next time. - Bathsheba Blythe**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter VI_**

"Don't worry, old man," Carl tapped Jem on the shoulder "-you'll be just fine. I must say that it's the last thing on this Earth I thought possible: James Blythe scared of his own wedding!" he chuckled and so did the people around him, James Blythe included.

Una was sitting comfortably on the pillow placed on the floor and her arms were enveloping her knees. She was smiling at the people around her, all of them being her dearest friends. Dalvir was sitting on another pillow beside her, of course. Una couldn't even remember the time when he wasn't sitting next to her each afternoon, him talking, laughing and smiling with her, as well as the boys and the girls in their cosy Collwell Cottage.

The living room indeed was very much living on its own in that moment. Jem was walking back and forth, deep in thought and with shaking hands. All the boys and the girls were there together, trying to calm his nerves down and 'warm up' the cold feet he just got, completely out of nowhere. It was both surprising and entertaining to see him in such a state, Una agreed with her brother on that. This view of Jem was the last one on her mind when she'd think of Jem's attitude towards his own wedding. "Well, I _am_ nervous." he said "It's not because I'm unsure, _never_ that." he looked gravely at Carl and then Dalvir who he now treated like a brother too "It's just such… an important event in one's life! Such a turning point which changes everything!" he put his hands on his cheeks desperately and Joan loudly and swiftly closed the window, sighing in resignation. Everyone jumped from that sudden noise.

"My God, Jem," she said "-go ahead and have a cigarette. I just finished mine and I officially feel glorious." she handed him the opened packet and he looked at her doubtfully "Oh, come on! You're such a baby today I can hardly believe you're not just about reaching my waist and talking in a squiggly voice." everyone in the room laughed at that merrily and Jem sighed in surrender. He took one cigarette out of the precious packet of Joan's and a triumphant smile appeared on her face as she lighted it in his hands "I'll open the window again." and so she did before sitting on the edge of Cara's armchair.

Jem transported himself close to the window and was taking long sips of the cigarette and then just as long breathes out "Jem, can I ask you a few questions?" Dalvir asked all of a sudden.

"Fire away." the red-haired man replied almost breathlessly and Joan chuckled quietly enough for Una to hear her.

"Do you love Faith?" Dalvir asked him seriously.

" _Of course_."

"Do you want to spend your whole life with her?"

"I can't see my life with anyone else by my side."

"Do you have a plan regarding how you'll support your family once you're married?"

"I'll finish my degree and I'll start my practice in Glen St Mary, next to my father."

"Then _what_ are you afraid of?" Dalvir raised his bushy black eyebrow and all the eyes laid on Jem now.

Jem put out the cigarette and closed the window quietly, looking at Dalvir blankly. He nodded and slowly smiled at him. Everyone in the room, Una especially, sighed with relief. "Well, well, well." Carl patted Jem on the shoulder again "One cigarette and the man is back!" he laughed out joyfully and so did the others.

Unexpected by anyone, a knock on the door was heard and all the people in the room looked in the direction of the main entrance. "I'll go." Pam stood up from the chair weightlessly and flew over to the door.

There was a stunned silence when a young woman came into the room as if she owned it, without wanting to own anything materialistic in the world. She wore a perfectly sleeveless, blue dress just about going over her knees. She had high heels on and a plain black hat embracing her head from both sides, almost lying on each side but not entirely. Her golden-brown bob could be easily seen on her head, shining like a crown underneath her hat. Though her dress was quite simple and plain she looked as if she was taken out from a movie screen. Una's eyes filled with tears of happiness "Faith!" she was surprisingly the first one to exclaim.

Jem swiftly caught her in his arms, twirled her around as they both laughed merrily. After a few seconds he started gradually putting her down on the ground and he kissed her lips as if it was to be their first as well as their last kiss. Una stood up quickly and Faith threw her arms around her little sister with joy spreading over her face. "Oh, darling Una!" she whispered into her ear "I'm so glad to have made you all this surprise. I almost gave in on my plan and I nearly told you last week on the 'phone all about this surprise. Thank goodness I bit my tongue in time! It was worth seeing those looks on your faces!" she chuckled as Jem looked lovingly at her, all his nerves and doubts vanishing as if they had never existed in the first place.

Faith was then introduced to everyone in the room. Faith hugged every single one, brand new acquaintance and Una couldn't hide her blue eyes shining whilst looking at her with Carl's arm on her own shoulders. She looked up at him whilst Faith was telling Joan how much she liked her polo shirt "I can hardly believe that it's our Faith." Una whispered as she touched her brother's hand.

"I know." he agreed with a smile directed at the young, lively and fashionable woman in front of them "This whole nursing thing and a new haircut changed her into… Faith, her truest version, I guess." he looked down at Una then and they both shared a smile and a knowing look before Pam exclaimed excitingly:

"Who wants _tea_?" and everyone moved loudly, chattering on, into the kitchen.

"I am here for only three days, unfortunately." Faith said as she sipped on her tea, some moments later "During this time I will be completing my nursing qualification as an anaestathician." she smiled very merrily about this and Una couldn't hide her own smile, so very similar to Faith's own, after their mother.

"How you managed to have three days off from the Glen hospital is beyond me, my dearest." Jem kissed her on the cheek and Faith raised her eyebrow at him.

"I have my ways." she replied with a grin.

"Will you be staying with us then?" Pamela grasped Faith's hand in her own, her eyes glittering up with wonderful happiness.

Faith looked tenderly at her, the timid Cara sitting next to Una, Una herself and before she could take a look at Joan, the blonde-haired woman clasped her hands together with a fantastic smile appearing on her own lips "Where else could you, Faith, honey?" she said in her low, irresistible tone.

"Of course I'll be staying with you, dear girls." Faith answered with a bright smile of her own and she looked directly into Una's eyes which softened up immediately. She looked over at Dalvir who was smiling from ear to ear whilst talking to Carl and then she looked at Cara who was sweetly observing other's conversations as well.

Una placed her hand gently on Cara's and the girl of an elvish beauty looked at her with glistening grey eyes "Don't you think it's just the loveliest view? View of people so kind, all talking to one another?" she whispered to her quickly as if afraid to lose the sound of the chatter around her.

Cara smiled and her round cheeks dimpled "Views mostly treasurable in my memory are exactly of this kind." she whispered back and held Una's hand tightly in hers as she looked at Faith explaining to Joan and Pam how to correctly assess a patient with a broken arm. As Cara's face broke into a fascinated smile, Una smiled at that view too. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this happy.

* * *

A few hours later, after Faith related to Una all about Persis' new beau called Pierre, the moon was shining through Una's window onto her pale, fair face as she was looking at it with her casual melancholy in her eyes. She was sitting in front of her dressing-table in her nightgown whilst Faith was standing behind her, brushing her long black hair with slow, graceful motions of a hairbrush she manoeuvred. There was something in the air that was so familiar to Una, that air of sisterhood and love they shared for one another, yet there was a hint of unfamiliarity that has been there ever since the day Faith was kissed by Jem for the first time so many years earlier. This strange bit of air has been between them ever since and it was changing with each year passing: it deepened and intensified after the war and was there even more clearly on that afternoon, only two months away from Faith Meredith changing into a certain Mrs Blythe.

"I almost forgot what it feels like to have such long, thick hair." Faith said softly with a smile directed at Una's reflection in the mirror "You must turn a lot of gazes your way, dear sister." she winked gaily at Una who managed to grin weakly back at her.

"No, I don't." she replied almost with effort, her heart quickening up its beat.

"Well, you most definitely do, you might simply not know about it." Faith said to her encouragingly "For one thing, a certain Dalvir Singh was most definitely gazing at _you_ for most of the afternoon." she raised her eyebrows playfully and Una thought her heart was in her throat with disbelief and something else.

"What?" she managed to say.

"Uhm…" Faith nodded as she started to braid her sister's hair "It was difficult for an older, protective sister to not to notice _that_."

"But… but… it doesn't _mean_ anything." Una said almost to herself, her mind completely disassembled, just like her hair at that moment.

Faith glanced down at her sister and with hope spreading over her lips, she saw that Una's cheeks were turning crimson. "You'll know soon enough, dearest Una." she said to her gently "Men might be bashful or seem like they're so but if they truly look at someone in this one particular way, they'll say it sooner or later."

"I suppose you must know a lot about that." Una replied, her heart pounding fast still.

"I've spent the whole three years with mostly men at my side." she replied with a shadow crossing her eyes "I've heard many stories from them so I do think that on this particular thing I might be just about right." she then gave the last finishing touch to Una's newly made braid "Do you… have or might have any feelings for Dalvir?" she asked her in a tone Una thought to be shy and this surprised her even more, in addition to the question itself.

"No, no…" Una said hurriedly, twitching her fingers " _No_. He's a wonderful friend of mine, that's all."

Faith lowered herself and was now on the level of Una's eyes into which she looked with sisterly affection. She put her hands over Una's "I want you to know something, my lovely girl." she said to her seriously "Whatever man your heart will choose, I will be happy as long as he loves you, he's kind to you and is, of course, handsome." she smiled at Una who chuckled quietly and after a few seconds Faith tightened up her grip on Una's hands with a sorrowful expression in her eyes "I know that something happened, Una." she whispered and Una's heart started pumping the blood around her body even quicker "Something strange happened in your life, something you won't tell me about and possibly won't tell anybody. I don't blame you for that, I don't want you to tell anyone if you don't want to. But, darling," she smiled softly at Una "-don't lock your beautiful heart away. I can see that you're doing just that but you really shouldn't. Your heart, or at least some part of it, should be seen and admired by someone it will choose to be admired by. If it chooses, let it command you because... life is short." she sighed heavily "That's one of the many things I've learned during this blasted war." she managed to smile tenderly at Una again with a hint of pain in her eyes.

Una smiled back at her, in a calmer way now. Her heart was now back to its normal pace yet its edges Una felt to be heavy with thought and emotions. "Don't be scared, dearest." Faith looked at Una caringly "It's not as scary as you imagine it to be." she then stood up and started to put away the dress she wore during the day back into her suitcase.

Una stayed in her seat, speechless and breathless. She looked out the window once more, at the shining moon and her mind was dangerously close to the conclusion that Faith's advice was something she exactly needed to hear.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Chapter VII_**

13th July 1920

Dear Diary,

Yesterday my brother Jerry got married to now my _sister_ -in-law Nan. I still can't quite believe that yesterday actually happened! It seems to me that when you know that a certain day or an occasion will happen, and you know this for years without an end, once this special day comes you feel as if it must have happened years beforehand because you've imagined it so many times already. It is indeed the strangest feeling.

The whole day was like a dream to me so I can only guess just how magical it must have felt like for my brother and now my sister-in-law. It was a wonderful summer day. Not too hot though and we were all grateful for that because the icing on the cake didn't melt down! The Rainbow Valley was filled with sunshine, birdsong and so much love that I almost forgot the world was real and I within it too.

Father married them, of course, and I could so easily see pride on his face as Jerry bent down to kiss Nan. Di was the maid of honour and as that kiss proceeded she threw the bouquet of flowers she held into the air and cheered so happily through her tears that we all started to cheer, a sound most certainly not heard, if ever, in our church.

Di was and is the happiest girl right now. She got her job in Italy and she will leave for Tuscany in October. We couldn't be more proud of and more joyful for her - she deserves it more than she dares to think she does. Her eyes speak of her desired change and almost fulfilled dreams. When she told me a day before the wedding, our eyes met for that one second as we both thought of Walter, silently. He always wanted to visit Italy, see the Colosseum, the gondolas of Venice, the Leaning Tower of Pisa… Now he will be able to see it through the eyes of his sister and I couldn't be gladder. This thought helps to calm my nervous and melancholy soul a bit.

Even though Nan was certainly the centre of attention on her day of days, her baby-sister was near to this place as well. Rilla's belly is so big now that we all feared the whole day that she might pop in any minute! The doctors of the family and Rilla herself didn't think that, of course, but all the rest of did. She is very… well, moody I would say. She changes her mind every half hour and it makes us all laugh, even her sometimes. Rilla and my darling Bruce were the funniest ones yesterday. All my little brother talked about was his current passion for firefighting. "Mama always tells me 'that red is my colour' so I think it is a sign that I'll be a good firefighter." he told me and I gave him a kiss on his precious crimson cheek and replied: "You can be whoever you want to be Bruce, dearest. And I know that you will be wonderful at whatever you'll choose." and I meant every word, I still do and I don't think I will ever change this opinion. I _can't_ believe he's already 12 years old!

Jerry's wedding was very special to him. I don't think I've ever seen him this happy, or this proud. He looked down at Nan as if she was the only person he could see in that crowd of people around him. I will never forget when he embraced me yesterday, a few minutes before he was to drive with Nan to the seaside for their honeymoon. I was alone in our Rainbow Valley and he came down there just to see me before he was to be off. He was all flushed, excited, happy for the new beginning he so much needed ever since the blast of the war touched him. He smiled at me and embraced me ever so tightly as if he hasn't seen me in ages and it felt like this long too. "I love you, my dearest sister." he whispered into my ear and then looked into my eyes softly. I was already crying by then, from joy, and I patted his cheeks.

"I love you so much, Jerry. I know that I can't exactly show it like Faith can, but I really do." I replied and I realised that we never had such an intimate conversation before, not even before he went off to war.

"But I always feel it, Una." he said and my heart filled with such warmth I haven't felt for… I don't even know how long. He kissed my hand, said his farewells and went off, still turning to wave at me. From the whole day, this was one of the two most memorable moments for me.

Another moment that I will never forget is the conversation my Father and I had a few minutes after Jerry and Nan drove off. We were all walking back to the Manse and Father started to walk at the back with me, his arm in mine and my siblings with Mother Rosemary in front of us. He said that he wants nothing but happiness for me, whether that happiness is getting married or having a job or staying in the garden all day. I was so speechless when he said that ever so casually that I couldn't reply in any way but continued on listening to what he was saying after a few seconds of silence between us: "For Jerry, it was always marrying Nan. For Faith, loving Jem and helping others. For Carl, everything concerning biology and animals of all kind." he smiled so sweetly I caught myself smiling in the same way. He then looked at me with a question in his eyes "But I could never quite tell what _your_ happiness is, Una. Do you mind me knowing that?" he asked ever so innocently.

So I told him the truth: "I don't know yet, Father. But I can feel that I will know it one day."

"You will." he replied "God has a plan for everyone. But all I want is for you to be happy, whatever it is. I want you to know that." And now I know. Yesterday my Father indirectly told me that he trusts me with everything I do or will do because he loves me. I, as if through irony, never felt happier than I did last night whilst I was in my bed, slowly falling asleep.

Everyone always says that weddings always bring moments you won't ever forget. Now I know this myself even though I was never a bride and might never be… I can't believe I just wrote "might" instead of "will", I'm sure in my mind I said "will never be"… I feel like something within me is changing and it scares me but in a strange way it calms me. I hope to find out what exactly it is soon.

Now I am off to go for a walk with Bruce.

Goodnight,

Yours,

Una.

* * *

Una always associated August with golden fields, golden sun and golden hours in the Rainbow Valley or by the ocean. Just three days before her sister's wedding-day, she was enjoying her twenty-fourth August that year, the month in which she was born. Una decided to spend that day alone, apart from the family dinner in the afternoon with the cake and goodness of a champagne. She walked through the golden fields, her hair put messily into a braid and her dove-like skin exposed to the gorgeous warmth of the sun. She wore a dress she always wore on her birthday for the last three years, a pale blue which brought out her eyes so completely several farm boys coming back from the fields certainly followed her figure as she obliviously passed them. Her birthday was the one split in two: the first part was the crowds of people she loved most in this world wishing her well, and the second part was her lonely self walking the paths her feet knew so well that her mind was filled with only good thoughts and a smile on her lips.

A day after Una's birthday, Rilla's waters broke half unexpectedly and half completely as expected, and six hours later Rilla had her newborn son in her motherly, tired arms. Without a breath of hesitation the red-haired, healthy angel was named Gilbert Walter Ford - the first baby of the new generation still awaiting to expand. Not a single person uttered a tear different but that of joy on that very day in Glen St Mary and Four Winds. At the end of it, Rilla reassured her oldest brother that she and her son were most definitely to come to his wedding, whether he liked it or not.

As soon as Una blinked it was Faith's wedding-day and Una was inside another summer-chaos again, in the whirl of white curtains, white ribbons and white roses taken from God knows where. She thought that she was placed in a fairytale land, especially when she and Di were putting colourful flowers in their hair, on Faith's command. They were all laughing, holding one another's hands, whispering into each other's ears, as if they were little girls once more. Anne Blythe herself, along with her husband laughed at that very scene, Di being a perfect copy of Anne at her age and Una reminding them somehow of Di's own namesake in Anne's own youth.

However, it was little Gilly who was the very joy to the eyes of freshly made grandparents of Anne and Gilbert. They held him and giggled over him and his red hair, as well as his sparkling hazel eyes. Rilla and Ken couldn't be more proud on that day of days: if not of the newlyweds, then most especially of their very new and wonderful addition to their family.

The wedding ceremony took place in the garden of the Manse and Reverend Meredith once more was the one to conduct it ever so gracefully, just after walking Faith down the aisle. Una was the maid of honour and Di a bridesmaid standing behind her and Faith. Therefore, Una had the most glorious view of the ceremony with Faith and the glowing Jem standing right in front of her, never stopping to smile ever since they opened their eyes in the morning.

Una watched as the sun shone right at Faith and Jem as if in its own symbolism and its golden promise of everything Una ever wanted. She didn't even notice when tears started to roll down her cheeks as Faith was smiling and chuckling at the impossibility of her getting married right at that very moment. Una was just as struck with this moment as her sister was and she caught herself chuckling with Faith, but much more quietly.

The golden bands were exchanged and Faith was no longer a Meredith but now a proud Blythe. Jem caught her in his arms, raised her above him and raised his head to kiss his wife with so much love everyone watching them was enveloped by it, Una thought.

When they all gathered to throw petals of flowers and rice on the newly wedded couple, Una thought of Dalvir and his love for flowers as well as those bright Indian colours he could talk about for hours and Una would never get tired of his talk about them. He was in India in that very moment with his parents and with a promise of him bringing those flowers for Una was in her mind as she watched Faith and Jem running to them all, hand in hand, ready to be consumed by the reds, pinks, yellows and all, because they were together and nothing else mattered.

"They're so in love." Di whispered as if to herself, dreamily. She was sitting next to Una at the party in the Rainbow Valley with tables full of food around them. Una glanced in the direction of Faith and Jem, talking to each other passionately, not seeing or hearing anything but their other half.

"Yes." Una whispered back, as if it was a secret. Di and Una looked at each other then, something silent passed between them: a hope, a fear and something else and they smiled at one another in unison before Nan snatched Di's hands and the two started to walk together, Nan starting to tell something of a twin-importance into Di's ear.

Una chuckled gently at the picture the two twins produced and then she looked back at her own sister again, now being kissed by her new husband. Her expression changed as she felt a chill coming down her spine and a wind blowing in her face. Above the music from the gramophone, she heard Walter's bells ringing softly and she turned her head in the direction of the sound. She stood up slowly and tightened her pink shawl around her shoulders as she started to walk down the Rainbow Valley giving Carl a wave of her hand. He nodded in relief at his sister's way of telling him she's fine and he smiled at her assuringly. She managed to return the expression in a more sorrowful way and then turned her gaze onto the path in front of her, trees welcoming her on each side of the road as if trying to embrace her.

As soon as she knew she was out of everyone's sight, she began to run with her skirts up, sobbing helplessly and whole-heartedly. She reached the White Lady and crushed onto her shadow putting her face into her pink shawl. It was all she ever wanted, that look Faith was receiving from Jem, or Nan from Jerry, or Rilla from Ken… Even mother Rosemary from Una's own father. Una always had that gaze, so full and yet so empty as it was not reciprocated, for the black-haired young poet who was once full of dreams that did not include her. The very thought was breaking her heart yet it was only when that last strand of hope in her heart was pierced with the bullet from Courcelette, Una's soul has been trembling ever since, howling just like Dog Monday did on that one chilly night back in 1916.

Una, with her tears still viciously rolling down her flushed cheeks, took out Walter's last letter from the pocket of her dress and pressed it to her heart, with shaking hands. She looked up into the branches of the White Lady and listened to the bells for a few more moments before gulping loudly and taking a deep, calmer breath. "I thought that maybe after you'd come back from the war," she whispered into the air she felt was full of Walter's spirit "-you would see me, _truly_ see me in the same light as I had always seen you. But when you died…" she stopped herself from another wave of tears with effort "All hope and dreams vanished from my soul, all in search for the meaning of life or its happiness because you were those two things for me, Walter. I don't think I'll ever stop loving you." she smiled suddenly and wiped away her tears with the corner of her shawl. Una looked down on his letter, the writing she could have recognised even if she were blind. Its lines didn't hurt her as much as they used to. "But I suppose it's alright. You said to me once when I was sad, you'd never remember but I always have, that there's just as many kinds of love as there are people and things. So I guess that the way I love you will not be the same if…" she stopped and felt as if that one second took her a lifetime "-if I would… I _might_ … I _will_ … love another." she nodded to reassure herself of her decision as she closed her eyes tightly and pressed the letter to her chest once more "Walter Cuthbert Blythe... we'll meet again one day - that will be the day when I will get enough courage to kiss you. But beforehand…" she tightened her closed eyes and sighed heavily "I have to live my life, darling." a few more tears slowly fell down her cheeks and without Una knowing, they touched the paper she was holding in her hands. As they blended in with the material, Una took a deep wisp of air into her lungs that suddenly felt so full she thought she has never felt so sure that she was breathing.

Her eyes opened onto the sunshine and she smiled at it. Upon standing up, she stood on the line of the shadow of the White Lady which was only inches away from the line where the sun was shining straight onto the emerald grass. Almost without her realising, her hands started to fold the letter carefully back into the pocket of her dress and she took the bravest step anyone could take during their lifetime.

As Una Meredith stepped into the light and started to walk back to the wedding, she felt as if only then Walter was truly by her side, by her every step to watch over her as well as her now newly began life she never expected to have.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter VIII_**

7th September 1920

Dear Di,

Don't ever apologise for not writing as often as you'd like to because you're busy. That's more than understandable and especially in your situation when you have to pack so much and so conveniently for the biggest journey of your life! You _cannot_ imagine just how excited I am for you, you dear girl, who deserves Italy and much, so much more.

Yes, I am officially back at Collwell Cottage and for the first time since starting Redmond and coming back and forth to Glen for different occasions, I feel like I have come back _home_ at last. It just feels so cosy, so ours, you know? The fireplace is a perfect haven, the smell of this ancient flowery air around us always seems to be sitting on us all, as well as the furniture in this enjoyable, strange way. It's truly home, a different kind but still home.

We're all back and the lectures have started again, just yesterday. Pammie came back with a completely new wardrobe full of Parisian (can you imagine? _I_ still can't) clothes in the newest fashion an eye can see. They're all so colourful and their material is so soft and gentle! The skirts are truly getting shorter and shorter which makes especially Joan incredibly happy (to be quite honest I think it will take some time for me to adjust to this new fashion but it is indeed exciting). You see, Pam's parents are incredibly wealthy and they all went to France for an entire month! Now, Pam tries to teach us a bit of French she has learned whilst she was there. It's such a nice language and I do wish my brain was translucent enough to learn as many languages as there are in the world but I suppose all I can do for now is to know singular French words.

Joan was the first one to come back to our Cottage after the summer as she was very keen to get some of the Mathematics papers done before the new semester would start. She cleaned the whole house and bought the most glorious orchids to put in the vase right on the biggest window of our house, the one which allows the light to enter the whole of downstairs, especially the living room. I like to smell them every morning before I make myself breakfast, it's very refreshing to do so and it makes me feel as if the time has stopped for those few precious seconds.

I'm so glad to see Joan energised again with this big, charming smile of hers. Even though I can still see something painful in her eyes, I can tell that she'll tell me soon what it is as she truly is my closest friend here, apart from Dalvir. You might think that Cara would be my closest friend as she's just as quiet as I am but it appears to me that it's actually Joan who speaks my language more fluently than Cara does. I don't want you to think that I don't like Cara or Pam, _never_ think that, Di! I love them both but the thing with friends and kindred spirits is that they can be both of those or they can only be one of them (either a friend or a kindred spirit) and in my case, Joan is my kindred spirit and Cara with Pamela are my friends. Do you understand me? I think you do for you too are my kindred spirit.

Dalvir came back from India and when I saw him just yesterday I felt as if I saw him for the very first time again. His face glowed with joy, it was actually tanned I think, underneath this layer of his already caramel skin. He had the most beautiful shawl around his chest and the back that he wore diagonally. It had purple, yellow, orange and blue stripes on it, although they weren't exactly stripes… Di, I know that I am an English student but words fail me at the descriptions that most need them! That shawl is absolutely spectacular nonetheless and it matched the small package he brought to me just perfectly.

"I promised, didn't I?" he said with his bright smile as I was opening the package. Inside were flowers, true Indian flowers composed of exactly the same mixture of colours as Dalvir's shawl did. I was quite speechless because I never thought he'd actually remember to bring me those flowers, I thought he was merely joking that he would. I love them and I made a vow to myself to always have one of them pinned to my dress or a jacket unless they'll become too delicate for such a strain, then I'll have to preserve them.

Dalvir truly is a person you can always count on. He keeps his promises, be them small or big, he smiles just to make you smile too (and he always succeeds!), he talks with you as if nothing else mattered to him but that particular conversation he has with you… The list really goes on. I don't know, Di… I know that you want me to describe him to you as fully as I can but again words fail me. He's wonderful and I feel completely at home when I speak with him or simply sit next to him in the Park, on a bench, listening to silence. That's all I can say about our friendship which seems so casual yet different from all the other ones I have.

Thank you for asking about Joan, you know how much I care about her wellbeing. She still does go out of our Cottage in the late evenings or early mornings but we dare not ask where she goes or why, not after her last outburst about the "countless" admirers she has. I don't blame her at all for such a reaction to this teasing Pam has given her about it and so now she has no such comments about her from her friends at least. Even the boys stopped mentioning this and as you know yourself, Di, the boys and especially Jem with Carl are all about teasing whenever they get the chance. Shirley and Dalvir never tease anyone about anything so they're quite on the opposite side of the spectrum here.

It's truly interesting to look at our group from the outside, you know, from time to time. You know me, Di, I never speak lots whilst in a group so I always become an observer in such social situations. Here's the scene: all of us Cottage girls and all the boys sit on the living room's floor at Collwell Cottage, fireplace painting rays of oranges onto the walls and us all too, Jem playfully teases Joan about her trousers and polo shirts, Carl, on the other hand, teases Pam about her indecisive nature regarding which opera is her favourite, Shirley and Cara whisper to each other timidly and finally Dalvir and I sit next to one another either talking to each other or simply observing the scenery around us. It might look like a normal scene and it is but it is truly fascinating to watch all of those lives play out in front of your eyes, forgetting that they are in fact living and breathing human beings. In situations like these, I feel as if we are all infinite.

Yesterday evening, a scene hardly different from the one I've just described, regarded Dalvir suddenly turning his head towards me with his shining smile. He said in a soft voice: "It's something like a theatre, isn't it? They're all like actors on a stage, playing life in front of us.". And I looked back at him, smiling too. "This is exactly what it looks like. My whole life I tried to figure out how to describe it, can you imagine, Dalvir? And it's you who solved this mystery." and we both laughed, but just with each other.

I shall be going to the kitchen now as it's my turn to make some dinner for us tonight.

Take care, Di, and write to let me know about everything but: _don't_ rush, I'll be waiting, as I always am.

Remember, I'm always with you, always right next to your spirit.

Yours,

Una

* * *

Una walked down her well-known quiet path in the Kingsport Park. Her hands embraced her from both sides of her navy blouse and she sighed painfully almost as if her lungs and ribs were telling her to not inhale and exhale as dramatically as her heart required her to. She reached down to the pocket of her grey skirt and slowed down her pace as her fingertips captured the corner of a piece of paper they touched so many times before.

She let them to only merely touch the piece of paper for a few more moments. She continued to walk, not another soul passing her as it was a very early morning. Una's heart though was fluttering, like wings of an uncertain bird, despite her slow walk.

She hasn't been carrying Walter's letter since that memorable wedding-day of her sister's. She had it in her bedroom, but hidden out of her sight always, in a cupboard. However, it was Walter Blythe's fourth death anniversary and she knew that she had to have his last letter, the last drop of ink his poetic hand has ever put on a piece of paper, near her to remember him on that day more than on any other that followed Faith and Jem's wedding.

Una finally took the letter out of the pocket of her skirt and opened it as she walked along slowly still. Her heart started to beat at a regular pace once more and she smiled down at it, a few tears in her eyes. Only then she realised that never before did she look at that letter with a smile on her lips. It felt like mathematical phenomena to her, something so strange and difficult to understand like the life itself.

Her shivering from a morning's chill fingers traced the handwriting she feared of one day turning completely invisible for it already started to slowly fade. She knew it must have been because of the number of times she has been reading over it, touching it tenderly with her hands and her tears falling on top of it too. Now she wasn't reading it, she simply looked at it and agreed with it for once and for all. Walter wrote it exactly four years earlier and she couldn't believe that it has been only four years. She felt as if it was twenty at the least and it made her feel old, very ancient despite her soul always being much older than her body ever was anyway.

She took a deep breath with a sort of relief playing at the end of her tongue and she hid the letter back into the pocket of her skirt. And so she continued on walking along the pavement, now exiting the Kingsport Park and making her way back to Collwell Cottage, her spirit fresh and sound once more, more than on any of the previous years on this specific anniversary.

" _Una_!"

The black-haired faerie opened her eyes onto the reality and she realised that she was standing in front of Cara, all dressed and ready for the new day with her bag full of English goodness eagerly awaiting the arrival of another lecture due in another two hours. Something in Cara's grey-eyes made Una stop and look at her with a worried frown upon her forehead "Cara, dearest, what are you doing up and awake at this time of day?" she asked her gently as she put her arm around hers.

Cara's round face was glowing with faintly rosy cheeks but her eyes had a film of watery tears over them "I couldn't sleep at all last night." she answered in a shaky voice, not looking at Una but rather at the ground in front of them.

"What is it, Cara? Please, let me help you." Una said to her softly and stopped her trembling friend in her tracks. Una's hands landed on Cara's shoulders, turning her to face her.

Cara sighed heavily and Una's heart sunk at the very sight of her friend being in such a distress. "I think Shirley's in love." she finally said with a decided yet broken voice.

Una stood speechlessly. She expected everything but this being the reason Cara's eyes were so full of pain and tears. "How… how do you know?" she asked eventually.

"I know him well and I can see that he is changed. You see, he dresses in a more elegant way and he even bought a book of Keats! He carries it everywhere…" she said, her face full of emotions Una never imagined she'd see upon this angel's round face.

Una's own expression was blank as the mechanisms within her brain tried to figure this new slot of information out. "Shirley's in _love_?" she whispered as if to herself "Do you know with whom at all, Cara?"

Cara shook her head helplessly and then looked up into Una's eyes "I don't." she replied "It's all very… strange to me, Una." her eyes tried to communicate with Una's, to tell a secret she couldn't voice herself.

Una sighed with a soft smile on her lips and kissed Cara's flushed cheek " _You_ love Shirley." she said quietly into her ear, not questioningly but stating the fact with a hint of joy in her own voice. When Una looked upon the crimson face of Cara's, she couldn't believe how she hasn't noticed it before. How both Shirley and Cara clicked from the very first glance they shared. It was always obvious for Una to leave them to themselves at break time as she talked to Joan or Carl but now she knew why her instinct told her to do so. They were Shirley _and_ Cara, and she couldn't see them any other way now. It was as obvious as the fact that there was a tree standing right in front of them in that moment.

Cara nodded bashfully, but a corner of her mouth showed a shadow of a smile "I think I do." she answered just as quietly "But it doesn't matter when he loves someone else, Una." she said a matter of factly even though her eyes were overfilled with wistfulness again.

Una gently took Cara by the shoulders and smiled at her hopefully "Dear, you can't know that for sure, can you?" she said to her encouragingly "You either have to ask him or just see what each day will bring. I've known Shirley for a long time and he is much closer friends with you than he ever was with me: give him time and he'll tell you everything. Don't jump to conclusions just yet."

Cara smiled a bit more decidedly then "I guess you're right, Una." she said softly "I hope that until he tells me who it is, I will completely figure out any feelings I may have for him too." and so they resumed their walk back to the Collwell Cottage.

For Una, however, every time she'd now look at either Cara, this timid angel of a girl, or Shirley, that handsome quiet man, she could see how their two souls blended into one, without a hint of hesitation about their natural compatibility she started to, just as naturally, envy them both.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everyone. Happy New Year! I hope that 2018 will bring you nothing but love, happiness and laughter. Thank you all for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting my story. I always appreciate it! Now that I'm almost completely settled in my new home I can, at last, give you a new chapter. I hope you'll enjoy it. - Bathsheba Blythe**

 ** _Chapter IX_**

So that was the feeling Una has never thought she'd experience. That particular emotion she was sure her heart would not allow her mind to control her even for a split of a second. _Passion_ was what her heart sang on that one October day and Dalvir was the one to witness its blossoming within Una right in front of his almost black eyes.

Di's first letter from her "la bella Italia" was lying on the table, right above Una and Dalvir's heads. Both were sitting on the floor, next to the fireplace on an afternoon when everyone else decided to go to a dance at Williams and Jones' house of a party. Two tired cups of cocoa were sat right next to the piece of paper and a radio was playing some soft tunes neither Una nor Dalvir focused on anyway.

"To _see_ those olive trees with your own eyes, Dalvir!" Una said excitedly with her cheeks flushed and a smile so wide on her face that it made her glow brighter than the moon outside the window "And to _feel_ the breeze of Florence and… and…" she grabbed the letter quickly scanning it with hungry eyes " _Livorno_!"

Dalvir laughed gaily and took her hands in his "You must surely now wait for Di's invitation to visit her in her new home there." he said softly and Una's eyes widened with a flush of disbelief and joy.

"Oh, I can't let my imagination go that far, Dalvir…" she replied but a smile never left her lips.

"Una, _let_ it go to the farthest lands of the universe!" he tightened the grip on her hands gently, smiling into her eyes with fascination "I have never seen you so… excited and full of those "dream things people have"." he imitated the sound of Carl's whimsical voice and Una laughed whole-heartedly.

"I think I am truly full of just that!" she said to him with an illuminating smile "Wonderful acting by the way, Dalvir."

He laughed as well and bowed his head gracefully which made Una chuckle again "You will visit Di in Italy, I promise you." he said.

"That would be… simply _extraordinary_." Una replied with a tender smile, all of a sudden much calmer and just as colourful as the images of Italian fields appeared in her mind in that moment "You know, there's so much to see in the world. I sometimes wonder why God made the world so vast as no one can experience each of its pieces within one's lifetime."

Dalvir smiled at her "I think that if you stick your mind to it, you can do whatever you want within your lifetime, even travel the entire world, all of its pieces."

She raised her eyebrow gently, uttering a chuckle "You are truly the most optimistic person I have ever met."

"No, I'm just trying to keep a positive attitude. Sometimes this and optimism can be two different things, you know, Una." he added and then looked at her with a spark in his eyes which Una now knew meant story-telling "One day when I was at school, in India, it started to rain right before the time we were all meant to go back home."

"Oh, no!" Una exclaimed even though with interest in her eyes "But it used to take you three hours to walk back home from school!"

He smiled softly at her concern "Yes, it did." he agreed "And everyone around me was just as concerned and as disappointed as you are now. However, when I started to walk back and in a matter of seconds I was completely drained just as everyone else started running as fast as they could to avoid the rain, I realised something. I realised that it's nonsense to be sad about being washed by the rain. Rain is water, water is life, you see. It's happy, it's as happy as the plants and poorer people can get when it rains." he smiled gently at the memory "So I was the only one to take the path back home slowly as if there was no rain at all. And this is when I realised that when one has a positive attitude, it never rains in a way that other people view it."

Una considered his story carefully, letting each word flow through her mind and feed her spirit with its new energy, a new discovery. She smiled widely at him, surprising him with its expressiveness which she has never shown before. "You are so right, Dalvir." she said eventually "And what a lovely story." He grinned at her whilst sipping the cocoa "Tell me more about India?"

He lied down on his stomach then, putting his hands under his chin, smiling at her with warmth radiating from his face straight onto hers "With pleasure." and so they spent another hour or so talking back and forth about India and Canada, two countries which Una thought they somehow made as one in this single hour.

She marvelled at Dalvir's descriptions of India, a country filled with culture and sights she never even dared to imagine before she met the very product of it. Dalvir told her everything and despite his version of India being the one of poverty, his descriptions were rich in colours and vivacity of life over there, the very life Indian people have who at the same time can't afford to buy another pair of shirts when the one they own is worn out. Una listened and she was fascinated by everything he was saying and how he said it in the voice full of excitement and pride, as well as hope.

"Could you teach me how to speak your language?" she asked innocently as she was facing him, lying on her stomach in front of him also.

"Punjabi?" he asked her, a bit surprised but with a smile never leaving his lips.

She chuckled "Yes."

"I can certainly try." he replied happily "But only if you will be committed enough to learn it, learn it from the beginning to the very end. I won't let you stop learning it until you will speak it fluently."

She smiled at him widely, chuckling softly as her black eyebrows raised "I never had a different intention in my mind, Dalvir." she said brightly.

"Well then." he sat up straight and outretched his hand to her officially. She raised her eyebrows even more and sat up as well. "Deal?" he asked her.

Una put her hand into his "Deal." she replied and as they both started to laugh into the silent air around them, she couldn't remember when was the last evening she smiled as much as she has throughout this one special afternoon.

* * *

17th November 1920

Dear Diary,

Today was a day full of everything.

In the morning, Dalvir and I had our Punjabi lesson which I always consider to be more than just a joy, it's truly a pure bliss. Dalvir is really the best teacher I have ever had in my life! And Pujabi, although incredibly hard to learn, is such a beautiful language. Dalvir, being a fantastic teacher that he is, makes it definitely much less difficult to learn which is a wonder indeed.

Anyway, right at the end of our lesson, though, a postman came and I received two letters. One was from Di, whose very own writing was beaming with happiness only an adventure of a lifetime can create. She's doing amazingly at her new job. She loves teaching "like I never thought I could!", and she loves the Italian people in her village. Apparently she knows all of her neighbours much more deeply than she ever knew our neighbours of Glen St Mary! Well, anyway, she's the happiest she's been although very busy, and this is why her letters are never quite long enough to match her lifted spirits.

The second letter was from Rilla who was as proud as a peacock to be the first one to announce to me that our Mary Vance (I can never truly think of her as Mrs Mary Douglas) has just had her baby. They named him, although I'm sure it was Mary herself who did, "Marshall" and apparently he's a "very plump little angel whose green eyes can captivate anyone - and they did". I simply can't wait to see this bundle of joy with my own eyes next month. After the war, a baby is a pure happiness wrapped up in the cotton-made, soft and warm blanket that is pressed to one's heart as if like a remedy.

Therefore, those two letters and, of course, my lesson with Dalvir took up all morning and half of the afternoon. Now, here comes what happened after that which is even more extraordinary, I would think.

Just when we all (because during weekends us girls and the boys always eat dinner at the Collwell Cottage) sat down to eat the freshly prepared dinner by lovely Pamela, a doorbell started to ring unexpectedly which made my heart race with nerves because never does such an event occur when we are all sitting in the same house. I immediately had all dark memories from the war brought back into my mind, that fear of every knock on the door, ever ring of a telephone…

But it was Faith whom I found on the doorstep. She beemed with a wide smile, rosy cheeks and a flowing green dress underneath her black, elegant coat which for a moment I thought (and I still do) was once Jem's own coat. However, something about her was different still and even though I couldn't quite work out what it was, I knew that it was something in her eyes, in that twinkle, that I haven't seen there before.

Everyone was delighted to see her, of course. But I'd be lying if I said that Jem was just as delighted as us, he was _ecstatic_. Jem immediately gave all of his attention, eyes, affections and all to his wife and obviously we couldn't blame him at all. I am so happy because she'll be here the whole week as the hospital allowed her to take some time off because of the news she has brought to us.

"Next May I will add another Blythe to the family!" she joyfully said, even before she took off her coat or a hat. This revelation set the whole room on fire with cheers and congratulations and it made me realise what was so different about her; she is now truly the maker of future life.

Jem's reaction was the most important one because, of course, that was not the plan at all. Him and Faith were to wait to buy a house of their own and start their own family _after_ Jem would finish his degree. We all immediately looked at Jem who turned as pale as a ghost and frightened us all that he might faint. Faith caught him by the arms and I could see how she was concerned about his reaction also.

"What is it, Jem?" she asked him and it was as if she spoke for all of us.

"How… am I supposed to provide for you and... the _baby_?" he managed to say although quite shakily.

Faith chuckled and kissed his cheek "You will, silly." she said to him jolly "I will have the baby at the Manse and my parents, as well as yours, will surely help me. I have no doubt about that. Besides, you only have this year and the next of your studies, that's not too long, dear." and just like that colour came back into Jem's face as it suddenly started to bloom with such love and joy I'm not too sure I've seen on his face before, well, possibly the very same one I saw the day he married my sister.

So the celebrations continued till very late indeed and now I am in my nightgown, sitting by my favourite old-fashioned candle and writing in here all of this, all of the emotions and feelings on this special day.

I am so happy for Faith and Jem. _A little baby_! A baby with Jem's hair and Faith's eyes… Or it may be the other way round, of course! It is truly such a blessing. Especially the fact that Faith feels very blissful and content despite the sickness she feels every morning (that's what she told me). It is true that pregnancy gives one a glow and Faith is the emblem of such saying.

I am, therefore, ashamed that I do feel somehow… I'm not sure _how_ to name it but I feel alone even more now than I ever have. Tonight, when I was downstairs with everyone celebrating this new life, I looked at Faith who was talking fiercely with Joan and Carl as I was sipping on my tea in the corner next to the fireplace. Dalvir's sleeping head was on my shoulder and although I was smiling, I felt very... isolated. I know that I always was that in one way or another, however, today it was of a different kind. I think it's because everyone is moving forward in their lives, in their paths and I am stationary, trapped in time that is already fading and I seem to be fading with it. Everyone around me today was and so still is in one way or another involved in a romance, starting a career, having a career-goal, making new discoveries and now even starting a family of their own!

And then there's me. Plain and not particularly interesting Una Meredith. Una who only went to College to get her mind away from her lost love. I have moved forward in that aspect at least, having made peace with the loss I thought I could never get over. However, there's nothing more to me than that! I plan no career after graduating, I have and never had a sweetheart of any kind and I somehow find myself in a kind of a… limbo, a coma almost. Today of all days I have realised that because I have felt strangely ever since Faith's wedding and I knew that it wasn't just because of me making peace with Walter on that day… I do hope that he guides me somehow, from above just as God tells him to.

No matter now… It is midnight in five minutes and thus "a new day with no mistakes in it yet", as dear Mrs Blythe would always tell us. I do hope to find a resolution soon.

Yours,

Una


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! It's been a long time and I apologise but life got in the way of me writing another chapter until I finally did! Thank you all for patiently waiting, reading and reviewing. I appreciate your patience and I really hope you'll enjoy this new chapter :) - Bathsheba Blythe**

 ** _Chapter X_**

25th December 1920

Dearest Di,

I wish you the merriest of Christmases. Also, judging from the time when you got my last letter, I should probably wish you the happiest of New Years in this letter too. I hope that you found our gifts warming your heart as you couldn't be in Canada today with us all. However, I am very glad that you won't be alone and that instead, you will be surrounded by your roommate and, like you said, a couple of fellow colleagues from your school over there in your little "la mia casa Italiana". It seems like a lovely Christmas to me already. You must, though, write me a long letter relating everything from your very own Italian Christmas too.

As I've promised, it is the end of Christmas Day and I shall, therefore, relate to you everything that has happened this Christmas so far, absolutely everything that I can think of.

You know already that Dalvir was our honorary guest this Christmas. You have no idea how wonderful it is to have him around with all of us at this time of year. Although he doesn't celebrate Christmas like we do, he assured me that what he celebrates is happiness with people he cares about and that means all of us, his friends. It was so refreshing to tell him everything about our traditions and the story of Jesus' birth also. One might sometimes forget the importance of each of those small traditions and moments that make up the big picture of Christmas and so when I was telling him everything about the Nativity story and Jesus' life on the train to Glen St Mary, I was truly the happiest person alive. It made me feel even more connected to Jesus and God, if that's possible.

Dalvir couldn't get a better welcome into our family. My Father has been immensely interested in Dalvir's Sikhism and they have spent long periods of time talking, just the two of them, every evening for those past five days and I am positive those moments will not end sooner than when we will be boarding the train back to Kingsport. Mother Rosemary and Bruce, however, have been particularly interested and to be quite frank with you, they are truly fascinated with Dalvir's childhood stories and his stories about India in general. Bruce already announced that Dalvir is his "friend for always and always", just a day after they met so you can only imagine Dalvir's bright smile at that jolly statement.

Of course, everyone from your family, Di, has been very much interested in Dalvir as well and there was not a minute when he was not occupied with someone asking him questions and simply welcoming him into their lives. I felt an extreme gratitude to all our loved ones because of that.

However, I must relate to you the funniest of stories of introducing Dalvir to everyone. When he was introduced to everyone at Ingleside and has already started some interesting conversation with your Mother, Susan came out from the kitchen into the living room and when her eyes landed on Dalvir she stood almost in disbelief. I think I was the first one to notice such an expression on Susan's face but surely enough others followed my gaze. Dalvir extended his hand towards her with a smile and said gaily "Hello. I'm Dalvir Singh. You must be Susan." in his sweet Indian accent.

Susan's eyes widened even more and I started to wonder if she knew that Dalvir was invited for Christmas. She accepted his hand, however, and said with further disbelief but a shadow of a smile in the corner of her mouth nonetheless: "Well, Dalvir dear, your skin looks just like those caramels in the Douglas' shop! It is no wonder everyone wants a piece of you for their own to talk to!" she said in the most nonchalant voice and everyone started to laugh, Dalvir included.

Susan then asked Dalvir everything about the Indian cuisine, wide eyes and gasps included. Soon after that Dalvir was asked by Jem to walk with him through the Rainbow Valley with the boys, and Susan came over to me, whispering into my ear: "Mr Singh is the eighth wonder of the world, he is. And Una dear... that _you_ may tie to." and she walked onwards leaving me laughter in my heart and my throat. I couldn't agree with her more though.

Now, you, Di, have kept Nan's secret very well from me and in fact all of us. Although, I know that through letters it is ever so much easier to keep a secret. But of course, I am not cross with you at all. How could I be? After all, this is the happiest of news! My own brother and your twin sister will have a baby of their own soon! It's truly so wonderful. Well, I say soon but of course, there's still time until July, isn't it? This announcement right above our Christmas table was mesmerising. Jerry was so proud to make such a statement, his face was literally glowing. I think that he looked just as happy in that very moment as he did when our Father announced him and Nan as husband and wife. It's good to see him receive some joy after the horrors of the war… You know, Di, he never talked about the war and his own experience of it, not to me anyway. But I _am_ his sister and I know, I can see, that he hasn't recovered from it all just yet. But he is also on a good path to accomplish this, I can see hope in his eyes and sometimes this is all you need to keep you going, isn't it?

And Di, of course, you must be here for the birth, I am certain that Nan will want no one but you and your Mother to be there with her in July (Jerry included, of course). I honestly feel like the last time I've seen you was years ago. We all truly miss you, dear, and we did miss you even more so during Christmas. You know, there was a chair left for you, just next to the one we always leave for Walter as well. We felt you both with us, even though you weren't. This is also why I'm happy that you spent Christmas with people whom you enjoy the company of and who make you feel at home.

Also, speaking of babies, this Christmas was the very first Christmas for baby Gilly. Rilla and Ken were the proudest of all parents, I can easily tell you, and Gilly was constantly the one to smile and gurgle to everyone's delight. However, I'm sure that Rilla will, if she hasn't already, tell you all about her son's first Christmas so I will save those details for her to write to you.

Thus, I end my tale. This is all that has happened so far. I am not expecting anything much more special to happen because this Christmas was truly magical already. I can only now hope that yours was the same and that the new year will be even more magical for both you in your Italy and us here in our Canada.

My dearest Di, I wish you all the happiness a life can bring. I can feel that 1921 will be your year, and don't ask me why I feel that but somehow I do.

I will write to you as soon as I'll arrive back at Collwell Cottage, just a day after New Year's Day.

Until then.

Your friend,

Una

* * *

Two bright figures walked together, in the snow which was blowing softly like feathers into their flushed faces. Her arm was in his, in want of more warmth from the fabric of his thick coat. His colourful scarf was placed around her shoulders as well as his. Both were laughing into the reverberate silence of the winter evening, almost on the dawn of a new year.

"I will never forget the look on Susan's face when you said that you don't eat meat." Una chuckled and looked up at Dalvir.

He glanced at her ever so softly and smiled "It was quite an evening, wasn't it?" he said to her.

"It was wonderful." she agreed quietly, looking at the White Lady which was covered in a white blanket of snow, right in front of them "Certainly one of the most wonderful Christmases I have ever had the privilege to be a part of." she smiled up at him again "I'm glad you enjoyed it as well."

"It was and still is a beautiful adventure to be cherished for sure, Una." he replied gently "Glen St Mary is definitely one of the most charming places I've ever seen."

"I always like to think so." Una agreed readily "But I always wonder if I think so because... I've never been anywhere else in the world?"

"Unless we see all the world out there we may never be sure of that." he grinned down at her as she put her head against his arm. "But I do intend to see absolutely every inch of it."

"How are you going to manage that?" Una asked, her lips curving into a smile as they were passing the White Lady and her eyes were closed dreamily, imagining lands of vast exotic nature, culture and history of which her mind was always secretly full of.

"Well, I will certainly try to travel but if something or someone may make me unable to travel all the time, I will read."

Una opened her eyes and smiling joyfully she looked up into his laughing eyes. "Read?" she chuckled.

"Isn't it the perfect means of transportation?" he asked her with a convincing smile only he could achieve.

"What a convenient way to travel indeed!" Una exclaimed merrily. Both of their voices filled the empty air around them with more laughter and Una thought that the wind carried it even further, somewhere she thought was too far to reach in any dimensions.

Suddenly, Dalvir broke away from their walk and put the scarf more tightly around Una before kneeling down to piles of snow on the ground. "What are you doing, Dalvir?" Una laughed joyfully, looking at him with the utmost amusement as Dalvir struggled to make a snowball.

"I am doing something I could never do in the ever so hot country of India." he said to her with a smile which was located on his face and in his voice. Una also followed his lead, still laughing, completely forgetting her nearing the age of five and twenty and with her hair almost entirely wrecked from the perfectness of her braid.

Before she knew it, she was attacked by Dalvir's first unforgettable weapon. Una quickly responded with much the same type of invasion, both her and Dalvir beginning to laugh uncontrollably all at once. However, out of nowhere, as both were running, kneeling, throwing and laughing, Una tripped over a branch which was evidently and indeed very nicely hidden under a sheet of snow. She gasped with surprise and fell on top of her opponent.

A sudden rush of hotness spread across her whole body and she couldn't quite find a cure for it. They looked at each other from their close proximity and Una marvelled at Dalvir's handsome, messy, black eyebrows which were raised right at her. The silence between them was quickly forgotten as their lips were so close that it seemed they spoke their own language, without either making a sound.

" _Jem_ , I think Una and Dalvir will be behind the White Lady."

At the sound of Faith's voice, Una quickly rushed her body to stand up even though her mind did not acknowledge this action at all. Her ears were buzzing and her cheeks were completely red when she realised that she was still holding on tightly to Dalvir's hand and thus to Dalvir himself who stood right next to her, like a statue of complete amazement. She let go of him as soon as she saw Faith and Jem walking towards them and waving right at them happily. Una waved obliviously back and glanced at Dalvir almost without thinking to do so. He was looking at her with a bashful, radiant smile and glowing eyes. He never seemed more visible to her than in that moment.

She smiled back at him, her eyes wide and her heart fluttering like a canary's wings, confused by its sudden freedom when it's let out of its cage, for once and for all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello everyone! I realise that the time you all had to wait for this new chapter to be posted was the longest time you ever had to wait for any of my previous chapters and I sincerely apologise for that. I will have much more time for writing, editing and posting in the summer and so I do hope I can redeem myself then! Thank you all for waiting ever so patiently. I truly appreciate your willingness to read and review this story. I hope that you will enjoy this new chapter! - Bathsheba Blythe**

 ** _Chapter XI_**

"It's truly the calmest Saturday morning one can ever live through." Carl proclaimed to his sister. His voice was as clear as the fresh, brisk air surrounding the two siblings with the fog of silence. Indeed, no one but him and Una were at the Kingsport Park at that very moment. There was no wind, no cars passing by, no birds awoken yet. It all created the space necessary for the serenity of the scene of Una's favourite park. She looked up at Carl and tightened her grip on his arm for some bodily contact in what seemed to her the land of the dead at this time of day and year.

"It really is. Although, its calmness almost scares me." she replied, her eyes fixed on the hot flush of air her lips created before her.

Carl's eyebrows narrowed as he glanced at her rosy cheeks "Why is that, Una?" he asked, in a caring voice.

"I think that ever since the war, I've grown so unaccustomed to silence and calmness that now when I'm surrounded by it, I just feel…" she started.

"Uncertain? Threatened?" he finished with a hand on her own now.

"Yes." she said quietly, feeling her eyes watering all at once, unexpectedly. She blinked them off though and smiled up at his face which was always radiating with the merriment of one sort or another.

"I sometimes feel the same." he agreed and looked ahead with an absent-minded look "But other times I don't. Like now…" he smiled at her hopefully and she reciprocated "I feel good because I have my lovely sister right next to me." at that Una chuckled and he followed her suit "Don't laugh, Una, it's true! It's about time you start believing in the compliments I pay you." he kissed her forehead in that brotherly way she always loved about Carl as well as Jerry "But if I were to walk this same pathway alone, I'd be pretty freaked out, that's for sure." his eyes grew blank once more.

"Well, then let's thank God that we have each other to walk this pathway with." Una said with a soft smile reserved only for Carl in that moment. He reciprocated the favour and sighed deeply as if his chest didn't have enough room for all the sighs and feelings it contained. This made Una turn her head towards him with a concerned glow about her "What is it, dear?" she asked him carefully, her eyes on a quest to find his.

"I can't… I can't get her out of my head!" he said, exasperated with his face flushed.

Una raised her eyebrows funnily enough to steal a small smile from Carl's lips. "You mean Pamela?" she asked, or rather stated.

Now Carl's eyebrows were raised in surprise "You knew?" he asked her, almost accusingly.

Una smiled softly at him and patted his crimson cheek with her gloved hand "Carl, you and Pamela weren't hiding your affection for each other much. Or at least this is my own opinion.".

He sighed heavily "That's what I was afraid of." he replied but then his eyes opened wider "You mean that Pamela too…?"

"Well, yes. I would think she does too." Una answered with a caring smile on her face "Why do you look so concerned, Carl? Isn't that a good thing?" she questioned him with a worried expression falling upon her face.

"Now, I'm confused!" he stopped in his tracks and sat down on a bench, covered in snow. Una had a natural instinct to warn him of the bench's supposed coldness and wetness right at that moment but seeing his focused gaze, somewhere afar it seemed, she decided to let go of such impulse and worry about his coat's waterproof-ability later.

"I think you'll need to explain to me what's on your mind because otherwise, I will be saying the same sentence like you just did." she said to him and stood right above him, her heart heavy with her little brother's sorrows.

Carl looked up at her and gave a sigh again. "You see," he started "-Pam is unbelievable."

Una couldn't help but laugh at that "We all know that at Collwell Cottage. And by the way, you've said so yourself at least a dozen times before, right in front of her at that." she added and Carl uttered a laugh too before his serious tone came back.

"For all we fight, disagree, and we disagree on almost everything…" he smiled softly, remembering things that only he and Pamela were really in possession of "-I can't seem to think of my future without her in it. And she's doing and saying everything that causes me to at least attempt to fall out of love for her."

"Fall _out_ of love?" Una asked, almost bewildered "But Carl, is this even remotely possible? For anyone at all?"

"I will try so." he promised solemnly.

"Could you enlighten me on why you want to fall out of love with Pamela?" she asked him again, her heart quickening its beat as she now couldn't imagine Carl's future without Pamela in it either.

"All she ever talks about and all I ever see whenever we're in Redmond's halls is her admirer Felix, the glorious physicist, who sings in the choir she attends every Thursday." he explained, quickly as if his lungs had a limited supply of oxygen.

Something in Una's mind clicked and she finally understood. "Oh…" she said faintly almost "And she always says that she will only ever love a man who…"

""-is musical."" Carl ended Una's sentence and nodded in her direction, pain in his eyes and his fists clenched with desperation "And guess what? I'm not in any way "musical", it's just not who I am. For biology, all I need is my brain, my hands and _silence_ , not music around me."

Now it was Una's turn to sigh as she decided to sit next to her brother on the snowy, cold and wet bench "I understand that, Carl." she said to him quietly, hearing Carl's most beloved kind of music around them: the silence of the air. "But don't you see yourself that Pamela's opinion on who she will fall in love with lacks… a dose of reality?" at that Carl looked into Una's eyes and nodded along slowly "You see us, women, when we're still little girls and still little enough to play with our dolls, we have that idea of who it is we want to have as our true love in the future." she said with a soft smile of the past, her eyes remembering her childhood and her dreams as an eight-year-old girl "And we carry this idea, of _that_ man, with us for a long time. Some may catch this ideal man they've created in their heads all those years earlier, but most will understand later that life is different from what we have built up in our heads and that we will find true love in someone quite different." she put her hand on Carl's and smiled at him "Listen, dearest, I've seen you and Pamela together when you were fighting and when you were laughing and let me tell you this: if she still hasn't realised that her ideal man is right in front of her then she still needs some time to realise that. However, I assure you that she _will_."

Carl considered all of this and squeezed his sister's hand appreciatively "Thank you for all of this, Una." he said gratefully "I do hope you're right but it doesn't change the fact that I need to prepare myself for her never realising this."

Una put both of her hands onto his, decidedly, with a stern look in her steadfast eyes "Carl, you are not to attempt any kind of falling out of love." she said wholeheartedly "I don't even think that's possible. And if it is, don't try it before you truly have to. When you have love in your heart, even the one that is not spoken about out loud, you do _not_ give up on it. You never stop believing in it, especially when you can still be able to profess your love on the top of the building, screaming it to the world. Please, Carl, promise me that you won't do that before there's no more hope left. Please?" she tightened her grip on his hands and focused all of her energy on his eyes which she knew so well.

"I promise." he said and Una knew the solidity of this promise by the shade of steel-blue gleam in his eyes.

"Good. I'm glad." she smiled at him and they both stood up, resuming their walk, as if reading in one another's mind.

"Now that this issue is more or less sorted…" he started with a whimsical grin which suddenly reminded Una of Jem's so-called 'Blythe' smile "Why won't you tell your brother who is _your_ ideal man?" he asked her and the very question took her aback and Una looked it, which made Carl smile even wider.

"Well…" she began and smiled softly at him "Why won't I let you read my diary in…"

"A few days?" he suggested and Una laughed merrily.

"-in around twenty years?" she finished and both of them started to laugh together, a sound that echoed it seemed throughout the whole of Kingsport.

"Why are you keeping it such a secret?" he asked her after a while.

"I suppose you'll find out in those twenty years, don't you think, dear?" she replied tenderly, with a gentle smile on her face and Carl laughing again. He kissed her forehead as if he took over the role of Jerry's, the role of an older brother which made Una's heart all the merrier.

"Alright, alright. I'll wait." he agreed joyfully and took her by her two hands "I will be going now, dearest sister."

"Oh, right, your assignment." Una remembered and wistfully kissed Carl's cheek goodbye. "Good luck with it, Carl. And remember that you promised me something very important."

"I know. And I will keep this promise, don't worry." he said to her decidedly and waved at her as he crossed the road and disappeared behind another building.

Una didn't even have enough time for contemplating on the silence surrounding her when the clearest sound of all appeared from the other side of the crossing Carl just passed by. Pamela's laughter was honey-like and Una thought that if she tried hard enough she'd be able to cut it into small pieces and store it for winter days when one needs warming up. There was also not enough time for Una to smile and make her presence aware to Pamela as she noticed that her friend was not alone.

Pamela was walking with her arm threaded through Felix's as they looked into each other's eyes with something Una knew would crush Carl's heart. Suddenly, Una felt faint and she could swear that her heart stopped when she was the very witness of Pamela stretching her long neck and planting a kiss on Felix's thin lips. It was then when Una decided to remain painfully silent, that one moment she wished her silence or any other kind of noise could change anything at all.

"One must always have faith." she whispered to herself, thinking of her once ideal man and his black curls and poetry written all over his heart. And from this, she extracted something just as valuable but just as precious as faith: hope in better days to come.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello everyone! Firstly, thank you all ever so much for your patience and waiting to finally read another chapter of this story. My life got busier than ever before and more complicated than words will allow so I had to keep you all waiting, I apologise for that. But now I finally have more time to write and so you should all expect a new chapter every week or two :) I hope you will enjoy this brand new chapter in the meantime. Thank you all. - Bathsheba Blythe**

 ** _Chapter XII_**

21st February 1921

Dear Diary,

This week has been lovely and that's why I'm partially sad that tomorrow is a start of a completely brand new week.

On Tuesday, Faith visited Jem and she's left only yesterday so those few days were very precious for them both. She's glowing and smiling, not that Faith's spirit isn't like that already, but in her pregnancy, she seems to be twice the 'Faith' she normally is and we all love her all the more for it, especially Jem, of course. Her stomach is quite a show now and I was mesmerised by being able to feel my little niece or a nephew kicking away in my sister's belly. Life, unborn and in other forms too, is all truly beautiful, without a question.

The day after Faith came to Kingsport for a visit, she and Jem announced that they are in the process of thinking of names for their baby and thus decided that their child will be called a name like no other person has ever had in our family before. I think it's a wonderful idea and so did everyone else too. However, this did start a debate that to be honest is still carrying on. Everyone now tries to think of names that are unique but not too strange, yet "maybe a little out of the ordinary" as Jem himself suggested with his Blythe smirk and so forth. I myself truly enjoyed watching them all and listening to their hot debates on names and why some are better than others and that surely the baby will be a girl, but no, definitely a boy, but also that we have to think about what will be the baby's middle name then, and that _that_ one should be _very_ original as the baby won't really use it, but the baby _may_ use it one day but… Oh, that was one of the funniest afternoons I've witnessed since… a long time, for sure.

Personally, I did not and still don't really have particular names to contribute to this debate, however, from all the names suggested by others, I could tell from Jem's especially but also Faith's faces that Dalvir's suggestion imprinted itself on their minds. Jem asked Dalvir to tell him his favourite, Indian name for a baby girl of an equally nice meaning. Dalvir searched through his thoughts, a fine, deep crest appeared in between his bushy eyebrows, and finally, he said: "Heera, of a meaning 'diamond'. Immediately, Jem clasped his hands and then triumphantly tapped Dalvir on the shoulder, saying: "Now, I like _that_ one." and he turned to Faith who too was smiling as she raised an eyebrow at her red-headed husband: "Remember, dear, it may still be a boy." she told him but Jem shook his head and said decidedly that it must be a girl. And the debate on the sex of the baby began once more.

I still cannot believe that I will become an aunt and that my sister will have a baby of her own. I remember how Faith and I used to talk about this when we were little. We were so excited and simply couldn't wait to grow up, get married, have children… I wish I could go back in time and tell myself that to be a grown-up is not necessarily, if at all, better than being a child. When you're a child, everything seems easier, simpler and just doable. Now, I keep on catching myself at thinking that "No, I can't do this" or that I shouldn't do it… Well, it may still just be the case for myself only but I remember that when I was a child I never had restrictions like these in my mind. It seems to me that Faith really is the perfect symbolism of how one's dreams can come true if you wait long enough. I wonder if I too, in time, can even compare my happiness to hers...

But enough of this Nostalgia and Melancholy, I have those two for friends ever since I can remember and I can't say that I am always on good terms with them.

Although… a strange situation of a kind happened just yesterday.

Dalvir and I had our Punjabi lesson as we do every Saturday. It was another fascinating and wonderful hour of my life as recently I started to discover my great passion for learning which to be frank I always thought was everyone else's passion but not my own. Anyway, we finished our lesson and we decided to go for a walk, to just enjoy the slightly warmer day that occurred yesterday. We talked about silly, unimportant things, laughed some more but then we started discussing the complicated topic called love. I still don't know how it came about and how we just started to talk about it but somehow we did. He asked me if I was ever in love and even though for a moment I thought of not telling him the truth, my stomach turned as I realised that I don't want to ever lie to Dalvir, nor have secrets which he doesn't know of. And so I miraculously told him the truth about Walter. About how I fell in love with this handsome, dark, young poet, who was constantly in the clouds of some oblivion or some other kind of spiritual absence. I told him that my shy and not trusting myself nature kept me away from even thinking of telling Walter what I felt for him. I also told Dalvir about how this dark poet went to war, wrote his last letter to his sister Rilla but addressed a whole paragraph to me and I also told Dalvir how the day after that Walter was shot. At that point of the story I started to cry. It surprised me because quite frankly I've never cried to anyone before, not ever since I've grown out of being a child and thus ever since I've grown out of being free to do so. But at this moment, when Dalvir embraced me and gently caressed my hair, letting my tears to fall on his coat, I felt like time stopped especially for me to relieve all the sorrow that was still the inhabitant of my heart. I don't know how long it all lasted, I still find it hard to believe that I actually opened up to him. It all feels rather unreal. Bu it _did_ happen and Dalvir, not uttering a word, just opening his ears and heart to hear me made me acknowledge the fact that I am stronger than I thought and that moment made me put those last feelings of sorrow behind me. Despite my saying farewell to Walter a year ago almost, I still felt some footprints, or a kind of his shadow at the back of my mind, or rather at the core of my heart. But yesterday was life-changing, I'm sure of that, because now I feel like I can breathe and that seems to be the strangest feeling to me. Yet, it's also the best anyone can ever experience.

Then, when I could finally draw away from his comfy coat, he looked down at me with the warmest, the kindest smile on Earth and asked me: "Will you open your heart now?" and I just replied: "I think I just did.". And at this moment, I felt a wave overwhelming me from head to toe, a kind of immense, hot tide. For a second I thought that the Sun must have collided with our planet Earth for how else would I have experienced this kind of feeling? The Sun did not collide with our home planet, however, and I am still baffled by this sensation and where it came from.

Dalvir then told me quietly, to match the quietness of the scenery around us, in front of the Collwell Cottage, that I was lucky to have known Walter and those dreams about him that at the time of him still alive were possible to become true. This stopped me in my tracks too. I have never thought that my dreams about Walter and the future him and I would share, could actually be quite posible or at all possible for that matter. Somewhere deep inside my soul I always felt that they would never see the surface of reality. The fact that Dalvir himself believed in the possibility of Walter ever falling in love with me truly struck me with wonder but not about Walter as much but about Dalvir. In that moment I realised that Dalvir believed in me and my dreams, be them silly or not. He didn't have to say it because I could easily read it in his dark eyes. It was the most wonderful feeling I have ever felt.

"I'm happy that now you can open up your heart to new dreams, though." he said softly and I could only manage to smile at him with tears in my eyes still showing.

Then something strange happened, or almost happened, or I don't know at all what happened, actually. However, before I knew it, and honestly I don't even know exactly what happened for the next ten seconds at all, Dalvir's face as well as my own were almost touching. The air around us was filled with this strange energy (goodness, how many times did I write the word "strange" in here already?) which I still cannot solve and I felt like I couldn't move. But then Pamela screamed through the kitchen window: " _The oven! The oven is on fire_!" and Dalvir immediately rose up and just looked at me, wanting to say something but we remained in silence.

Without a word we ran into the house and stopped the small gust of fire from the oven Pammie operated on. Throughout the rest of the day, Dalvir and I spoke of many things but never of what happened during those ten seconds just utside the Collwell Cottage. I feel like this moment is still so confusing for us both that we will not be able to speak about it for a while, or at least I won't because I truly don't know what it means. I wonder if I do want to know what it means… Yes, _yes_ , I do… and yet, it terrifies me at the very thought…

I have to go to sleep. Tomorrow I have a lecture in the early morning and I do have to be awake for it.

Until the next time.

Una


	13. Chapter 13

**_Chapter XIII_**

For the years to come, Una would remember Kingsport Park as a symbolism of all things beautiful and meaningful, enveloped in peace, one sort or another. On that particular day at the end of March, she felt an infinite supply of all of those qualities of the Park, especially because the sun on that day was a special friend to her face as well as Joan's. The two friends walked together across the Park, at the time of sunset, with their arms interlaced and thoughts not leaving the space they both shared. Joan attracted the attention from the boys and men walking past them with her long, wide trousers and a short, blonde bob, however, Una always claimed that it was actually Joan's bright smile that attracted the gazes of others.

"What are you going to wear to the graduation ball, Una?" Joan asked her companion as a swift breeze brushed over both of their faces.

"Probably one of the dresses Faith begged me to borrow from her for the time of her pregnancy. But I haven't decided which one just yet." she replied softly.

Joan smiled and chuckled "I will help you decide as soon as we get back home." she said blissfully.

"That's such a relief, Joan. You know me, I wouldn't be able to decide between them all, they're all so beautiful, just like my sister." Una gushed with joy and then glanced curiously at Joan "What will _you_ wear?" and she wasn't surprised by her friend's answer.

"Oh, something very scandalous, I assure you." Joan's eyes laughed out loud and made Una utter a chuckle too "Now, now, Una, let us leave the coyness behind and tell me: isn't it _so_ wonderful that this year's graduates invited all of us, only the second-year students, to their glamorous ball? I say, I was not prepared for that and yet, it seems to be the most exciting event throughout this whole year." she cried joyfully.

Una smiled at her "I agree, it is all very exciting and unexpected. But I'm glad that our own group will be coming, I would never go there by myself."

"But you'd still want to go anyway, huh?" Joan winked at her and Una blushed a little "See, now, Una, I do know you better than most, don't I?" she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, indeed, you do, Joan." Una said and squeezed her friend's hand affectionately.

"And just think of this: if this invitation didn't happen, Shirley and our Cara wouldn't be an 'item' right now, would they?"

Una thought back to the day after the said invitation came in post to the Collwell Cottage. It was only two weeks before which to Una seemed like a whole lifetime ago as she always felt that her College years seem to last not three but thirty years. The day was sunny and the air was bursting with the atmosphere that anyone could tell was named "love". As soon as the invitation got spread across all the members of the Collwell Cottage Club (or the "famous C-cubed" as Joan liked to call it), Shirley quietly asked Cara to take a walk with him in the garden and off they went. They were gone for an hour and when they came back, both were flushed, blushed and most importantly so happy they glowed like the sun through the window. Later, Una talked with Cara and discovered that Shirley asked Cara to go with him to the graduation ball and when she agreed they both leaned in to kiss each other. Una's heart was particularly happy because she always knew that the two of them fit each other like a tailored glove fits its owner and from then on the two of them would be 'together-together' and not just the famous and friendly 'together'. Therefore, the debate about whom Shirley was pining for for more than a year was put to rest as the answer was learned.

"I think they would, one way or the other." Una said with a glad smile on her lips. She then glanced at Joan's face in a more serious manner this time "But I was disappointed that Carl asked Pam out too late, after Felix did I mean."

Joan sighed wistfully "Yes… However, what _really_ gets on my nerves is that Pamela thinks Felix is the one and she can't see that Carl is the _one_ man who should be taking her to that stupid ball."

"I thought you liked the idea of us going to that ball, Joan!" Una looked at her surprised.

"Of course I do, as a bigger picture, yes. But I do _not_ like the fact that it led to more heartache for your poor brother."

Una smiled gratefully at her "I'm truly glad that the two of you will be going together, though. It was nice of you to offer this, Joan."

"No problem. I was happy to do it. Besides, who else would I be going with if not with the _only_ other person who is not courting someone else." she gave Una a sly look.

Una's eyebrows twitched and she looked at her almost sternly "Whatever do you _mean_? Just because Dalvir was a gentleman enough to ask me to go to the ball with him does not mean we're immediately courting!" she exclaimed.

Joan giggled with mischief "Alright, alright, dear friend. Maybe _you_ don't think that you two are so obviously in love with each other, but I do and I just hope that you will see it sooner rather than later. Why, the ball would be the perfect time and place to confess your love for each other!" she clasped her hands in excitement and Una's face turned red with both blushes and annoyance.

" _Joan_!" she cried out helplessly "That is _not_ true! No feelings of such kind are involved. You shouldn't be saying such things when you don't anything know about them."

Joan stopped in her tracks and took Una's hands in hers, a sorrowful look appearing on her face at once "I'm sorry, I'm _very_ sorry, Una. I shouldn't have spoken so openly and I agree with you. It won't happen again." Una smiled at her, slowly regaining her natural self "Are we still friends?"

"The closest of friends, Joan." Una reassured her "And that's why I'd like you to wait for me to say things like this to you directly before you will start assuming anything on your own."

"I promise! I promise!" Joan kissed her two cheeks and Una chuckled.

"Should we continue walking?" she asked and Joan extended her arm with a wide smile on her face.

"Nonetheless, I'm glad that you two will be attending the ball together. Tell me, Una, is Dalvir going to wear his traditional clothes?" she asked hopefully.

Una smiled softly "When I agreed to go with him to the ball, he started promising that he will do everything in order not to make a scene or anything like that so he said that he'll dress in a way not to stand out. I was very surprised by this declaration because Dalvir isn't embarrassed at all by his roots and heritage and he _shouldn't_ be. So I told him that I won't go to the ball with him at all if he won't be himself and thus if he won't dress in his traditional Punjabi outfit."

"How chivalrous of you, Una!" Joan exclaimed happily.

"I am hardly that, Joan. I am simply a great admirer of one's unique personality and I hate when someone, or in this case the society, pressures a person to get rid of it. Anyway, my stance on this matter put Dalvir in a very good mood and that's what counts." when she saw that Joan is raising an eyebrow at her, she quickly changed the subject "I got a letter from Rilla, Jem's little sister, yesterday with news, you know. She is pregnant again. We're all hoping that it's going to be a little sister to dearest Gilly." she smiled quite hurriedly.

"Oh, that's such wonderful news from home, Una, and may I add a very smooth change of our discussion." Joan smiled encouragingly at her friend " _Please_ , dearest friend of mine, what is it between you and Dalvir? I truly don't believe in how you just said that there's nothing beyond friendship going on between you two."

Una sighed, giving up yet at the same time feeling quite relieved to be able to share her thoughts with her trusted friend "It's very strange, you know. I've only ever been in love once, and many years ago at that. But I must admit that there's a spark between us, in my opinion anyway, but I am just so confused about what it means and I'm very much occupied with my studies and everything…"

Joan patted her on the shoulder comfortingly "Well, love _is_ confusing." Una glanced at her quickly enough for Joan to correct herself "I'm not saying you're in love with him, Una… Alright, I _am_ because I can see how you act around him and how you speak about him. It's clear to me what it is, that's why I want to know if it's even remotely close to what you think you're feeling or what you might be feeling."

There was an almost everlasting pause as Una thought and thought. "I think it might be... falling in love." she eventually concluded, her heart feeling suddenly lighter "I can't really see my future for now, and I think that this might be why I'm uncertain in this department altogether."

"You just need time, Una. The realisation will wash over you one day as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Unless…" she chuckled merrily.

"Unless what, Joan?" Una couldn't help but smile at her.

"Unless another fellow will come along!" she burst out in such a way that Una's cheeks turned red again.

"No! _Don't_ say that…" and as soon as those words came out of Una's mouth, she covered it with her hand and looked at Joan, almost horrified at their meaning. The two of them started to laugh, slowly at first, but then as with all bosom friends, it turned into a hysterical, hilarious and an everlasting laughter which to them seemed unforgettable for a lifetime.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your patience. My laptop was in repair which literally took ages and that is why this chapter is so delayed. However, I do hope you'll enjoy it. Thank you all again. - Bathsheba Blythe**

 ** _Chapter XIV_**

Una was putting on her navy blue heels and smiled. She was thinking of Di's letter that came earlier that day. Una herself felt that this Italian letter brought the Mediterranean weather to Kingsport. The sun shone through the window, leaving dancing rays all over Una's desk, mirror and her legs as she was leaning down to put on her lovely new pair of shoes.

In her letter, Di spoke of Italian food with greater passion than she had ever spoken about anything else and that was something that Di was herself aware of. Una was glad that Di settled down at last in her Italia and Una was sure that it was mostly because of her roommate who from Di's writing was clearly a kindred spirit. "Una, I'm telling you: Allegra _is_ her very name. She is always heard, always vibrant and happy. She gesticulates as if her hands were dancing by themselves. She speaks half English and half Italian and this makes me learn this beautiful language so much more. I'm definitely making progress which is wonderful because now I can talk to our neighbours and understand almost everything both they and Allegra say!" she wrote to Una in a rushed handwriting.

"I cannot wait to see you all again. And of course, I will be there for Nan's delivery of her baby. I wouldn't miss it for the world! I still can't believe that I'll be an auntie and Una, so will _you_! Isn't that so amazing?" and here Una laughed merrily to herself, saying in her mind "Yes, it is indeed.".

It was the day of graduation ball and so Una's purchase of new shoes was deliberate or otherwise she'd never think of it. Di's letter brought sunshine into that day and Una was lost in Di's world for that whole morning, even when she finished reading her letter a good hour before she started to dress up. The entire morning went fast as Una helped all three Pamela, Joan and Cara with their dresses, hair and general mirth of the day. Before Una could blink, the boys were waiting for them outside the Collwell Cottage, laughing and telling jokes in their best suits.

"Jem is missing out." Joan whispered into Una's ear as she was giving a finishing touch to Una's hair.

"Possibly, but then he did decide for himself to go there and stay with Faith." Una defended her brother-in-law.

"Faith told me on the 'phone that she can't move anymore so maybe it's all for the best after all." she chuckled and Una did too.

It was Carl who waited for Joan and whose face lit up when she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and a reassuring look as he put her arm in his. Una thought, whenever she looked at him, that Carl did a wonderful job at pretending he was completely happy and fine. It made her heart almost drop from sadness and especially so when Pamela would chirrup and almost hop around Felix whilst Carl was secretly glancing her way with a tired, broken look in his eyes. Una knew, however, that in this case, she has to let time and circumstances solve the issue by themselves.

In Joan's case, she too was pretending and Una could see that very easily as well. It was a different kind of sadness, it seemed, not the one Carl had about himself. On the surface, Joan smiled, laughed, smoked cigarettes and looked almost excessively beautiful in her Jean Patou dress. However, in her eyes as well as a kind of aura all around her was the feeling of fading away, trying to break away from something Una wasn't aware of just yet. In a way, Una concluded wistfully, Carl and Joan made a well-matched pair for that evening.

Contrastingly, Shirley and Cara had sheep's eyes whenever their glances locked. They were both blushing, laughing and smiling as if their lives depended on it. There was not a single person who when noticed them didn't smile themselves and for that one blissful moment felt a part of their happiness.

Una was the last one to leave the Collwell Cottage. She put on her shawl and felt like she's never been this glamorous-looking. Her dress was never this short, her bodice was never this freeing and smooth. On that day, in that dark blue dress and a green shawl, she never felt less like herself and yet more at the same time. The first person she saw as she turned around from locking the door was Dalvir and his radiant smile. Una's reaction was to smile also and to forget about everything else. Her eyes quickly drifted to his outfit, a traditional Punjabi outfit. He looked very elegant and very much like himself, with his messy black curls and shining eyes.

"Una! Look, we're matching." he said to her with enthusiasm and pointed to her green shawl and his dark green costume.

She laughed merrily "Yes, we do, Dalvir!" she joined his joyful voice.

He then sighed contentedly and took her in "You look positively wonderful." he told her in a soft voice.

Una blushed a little and smiled at him "Thank you. And the same goes for you."

He chuckled and offered his arm "Shall we go and have a good time?" he whispered incredulously, making her laugh again.

"I can't wait." she whispered back and everything seemed perfect.

* * *

23rd April 1921

Dear Diary,

It's the night after the graduation dance and here I will try to describe it because it was truly quite a troubling night for me. Or the end of it anyway.

It started off splendidly. The room which normally serves as a sports centre was turned into a dancing spot filled with graduates in their most elegant and extravagant clothing. The music surrounded us from all sides and right here and then we could forget about the world or ourselves even.

Being a minister's daughter, I'm a stranger to dancing and attending parties, or rather actually participating in them. However, our wonderful Father told Carl and I before we went to Redmond that if such a party will come about he wants us to enjoy it and dance. At the time I felt it was very strange of him to let us do that, even encouraging us to do it but when I entered this sports centre, heard the music, felt the atmosphere of entertainment, I knew that Father wanted us to experience exactly this.

Therefore, it came as no surprise that we all started to dance almost as soon as our feet touched the dance floor. Shirley and Cara were inseparable and danced only with each other all evening. Pamela and Felix danced most of the time, however, if she didn't dance with Felix, Carl was her next choice which not only made Carl happy but also made me smile with hope. Joan danced with everyone, myself included, and didn't waste a single second of the entire ball, making almost every boy line up in the queue to dance with her for only a minute. I, however, didn't dance all the time, I enjoyed my bit of people watching. That being said, when I did dance, I danced either with Carl or Dalvir (and of course Joan).

Dalvir made quite a spectacle by appearing in his traditional Punjabi clothing. People looked, stared it seemed, but because they already got used to Dalvir being around the school (the dancing and music definitely all contributed too) to no more attention being paid to his original appearance. It was when the two of us started dancing that I realised I have never danced with anyone but my Father and my brothers and even so I danced maybe a couple of times in my entire life. Therefore, when I put my hand into Dalvir's and we both smiled at each other, I felt my stomach turning from bewilderment and excitement. What was strange, however, was that right after this feeling I started to feel very calm and content as Dalvir and I danced, or at least attempted to keep up with the music, laughing together.

Dalvir and I talked and could not stop. It is strange how even though we talk all the time, every day, we still keep on having long and entertaining conversations. Joan even told me a few days ago how she sometimes wonders how Dalvir and I haven't run out of things to discuss and I do wonder about that too.

Yesterday, during one of the slower dances (when we could catch our breath), he revealed something to me. He got a letter from his parents the day before and in that letter his parents told him that whenever he will come back to India next, whether it will be for a summer break or anything else, his parents want him to marry a girl from his village whom they found "very suitable" for him.

He was very distraught at the thought and so was I. "Una, I want to honour my parents' wishes but this is the one wish which I just can't fulfil, whatever the cost." he told me very seriously and I agreed with him. Something in his voice made me feel like I just want to embrace him and tell him that all will be fine. However, I was too shy to do that.

"You have to marry someone you love, not someone who your parents think you'll love one day." I said to him instead as this is exactly what I thought he needed to hear. He smiled at this and out of the blue, he grabbed my hand and we started to run past the other dancing partners on the dance floor. I started to laugh and simply followed him until we got outside. There was no one but the two of us there and the faded music coming from the inside to the outside was the only other 'living' spirit around us. The fresh air was evidently something I needed because I immediately caught myself thinking more clearly.

Dalvir then sat down on the grass and I joined him. We looked at the stars and the moon and we talked about the world and how sometimes it's complicated and simple at the same time. I can't even remember the details of what we said to each other, or how long did this conversation take, all I remember is that I've never felt safer or happier. It was the most blissful feeling in the whole world.

The next thing I remember is what made that night troubling for me.

Out of nowhere (and yet maybe I knew it was coming, I'm not sure right now), Dalvir leaned in towards my face with the known to anyone intention. For a split of a second, I didn't move and thought that was the most natural thing in the world. But then something in my brain set off, like an alarm, and my thoughts sprang through my brain: his parents want him to marry someone "suitable" for him, he's not Walter, he's Dalvir, he's of a different religion… And just like that, I found myself mumbling "I'm _so_ sorry." and I ran back inside, into the music, dancing, warmth almost unbearable on my skin.

Dalvir found me minutes later, sitting on the bench, and he smiled at me apologetically. "It's alright, Una." he said softly "I know."

I took his hands in mine and returned the smile, with tears in my eyes "Give me time. Please, Dalvir." I managed to say and he squeezed my hand back.

"Take all the time you need." he replied and we sat like this, in an alien silence between us, with our hands holding one another, the two of us watching how people danced and laughed together.

I am still just as confused as I was yesterday. I do need time. I will know but I do need time.

I must go and cook dinner now, it's my turn today.

Until the next time.

Yours,

Una


	15. Chapter 15

**_Chapter XV_**

It seemed as if the train could not be going any slower. In reality, it was one of the fastest trains in the country and yet Una, Carl and Shirley could swear that they have spent two years on it and still were nowhere near Glen St Mary. A telephone was the reason for their trip. That unexpected and yet awaited call from the Manse to the Collwell Cottage and the excited and scared voice of John Meredith saying into the night's air: "It's time.".

It all felt a little like a dream to Una. Maybe it was the May's air, the one at night that is chilly with a hint of warmth that smelled somewhat minty. Maybe it was because Una never really acknowledged the fact that her sister, only a year older than her, was going to have a baby. Yes, that was what turned that fantasy into a reality which it was. It was in that very moment when John Meredith told his younger children "It's time", that Una felt it was as if he was saying to her that it is time to wake up and face the reality as it is. All of us need to do it one day and Una's started journey into the opening to the realness of the world around her had begun on that night.

She caught herself thinking, as her eyes scanned the trees and the grass outside the train's window, that in theory, she could become a mother too, just like her sister was in the process of. The very thought made Una's hairs prickle on her skin and Una wasn't sure whether it was fear, wonder, bewilderment or excitement. Conclusively, it was all of it at the same time. To Una, the idea of motherhood, adulthood even, was still light years away from her picture of reality and yet on that train to Glen St Mary, when her brother and her friend were sleeping in front of her as her mind was racing, she realised that she was almost twenty-five years old. "I'm almost an old-maid." she whispered to herself and chuckled, both finding it actually funny and also feeling disappointed in herself and mostly in life.

She was twenty-five years old and was never even kissed. This exact thought made Una's mind pause as she continued to stare out of the window, letting her eyes being mesmerised by the greenery of May. In her mind, especially during the war years (and after the brotherly kiss Walter gave her right before Una was to capture the last ever sight of him), Una imagined millions of scenarios in which Walter would come back from the war, completely himself and yet changed in a way that his brotherly kiss of goodbye would turn into a romantic, never-let-me-go kiss of hello. Even after the news of Walter's death, Una would often travel back to those fantasies in her mind, seeing them so clearly she could have sworn they happened, in another time and another universe.

Una knew that twenty-five was still young and that she still had her whole life ahead of her but what actually troubled her were the comparisons her mind did between her own life and the others' around her. Everyone was in a whirlwind romance, married, or having children, or everything all at once. Was she missing out? Should she hurry up in thinking through the whole situation-without-a-name with Dalvir? Should she try harder to find a husband? What if no one will want her now that she's almost twenty-five?

Just moments before bursting into crying, a little voice inside of Una's head told her: "It will all come at the right time.". She opened her eyes, breathed in and out, and glanced at Carl and Shirley, their heads bumping one another whilst in a deep sleep. She smiled at them and then smiled at the scenery outside the train's window. Suddenly, without any explanation that she could comprehend, she felt free. It was all going to work out, somehow, in the end.

Like some kind of a magical force, in that moment of freedom, the train approached the Glen St Mary's train station and Una found herself tapping on the boys' shoulders saying hurriedly: "We're here. Carl, Shirley, let's get our bags and _run_!".

Indeed, after that everything speeded up, just like the paces of Una, Shirley and Carl. Before they knew it, Dr Gilbert Blythe stood with Reverend John Meredith with their open arms towards their children. Both men had smiles of joy and exhaustion painted over their lips which immediately made Una skip a heartbeat with relief and an unexpected ball of nerves. Seconds later it seemed, they were all entering the Manse being greeted by everyone they knew. Rosemary had tears in her eyes but a smile never left her face when she planted a kiss on Una's cheek whispering into her ear: "You have a little niece, dearest Una.". Bruce himself was in tears of joy upon seeing both of his siblings back from Kingsport for a day and wouldn't let them go out of the space of his hugs to go upstairs to meet the new mother of the family and her babe for another ten minutes.

In years to come, Una would think of the time between the train station and entering Faith's and Una's old bedroom as an unexplainable blur of faces, emotions and words. However, she would remember every second of what followed after her feet stood on the very birthplace of her first niece.

Faith glowed while she lay on the bed. The sun from the window behind her was trying its hardest to get through the curtains and made Faith look as if she was Mother Mary, with a halo around her head. However, as Una came over closer she could see how her sister's face was rosy and still with patches of sweat and tears. But nothing could have prepared Una for the expression on Faith's face. It was something she had never seen before. Faith simply radiated with happiness.

Faith's eyes couldn't leave the little baby's face, lying peacefully in her caring arms. She only registered that her sister, brother and brother-in-law came in when they literally stood above her. Just then she looked up at the three of them and gasped with joy "My lovelies! I'm so glad you're all here. It wasn't easy, or quick-" she started and took a long gaze at the bundle in her arms "-but here she is. Miss Heera Cecilia Blythe, your niece and my daughter." she looked up at her siblings with a wide, proud smile.

Una realised then that tears were rolling down her cheeks and her lips formed a neverending smile. 'Faith and Jem chose Dalvir's suggested name, he will be so happy.' Una thought to herself and would later write exactly that in her diary. That was her first thought but her second was that she couldn't believe this was a reality. Una kneeled down, just like Shirley and Carl did (both with the exact expression on their faces as Una's). She looked at Heera's tiny face. She had a perfectly heart-shaped head with the most gorgeous, wide-open, and already brown eyes. A little copper fuzz was beginning to be visible on her little head and her lips were exactly in the shape of Faith's which made Una so happy because they were their mother's lips.

"She's perfect, Faith." Una whispered to her sister through tears. Carl and Shirley echoed her words immediately.

Faith looked at her then, her eyes telling Una tales of her sisterly, wifely and now also motherly love. "Would you like to hold her, Una?" she asked or merely stated.

Una nodded eagerly which made Faith chuckle. Almost at once, Una stood up and within two seconds, Heera was in her arms, whirling around in the white blanket that Susan sewed for her. Una glanced for a moment at Faith and she realised something almost heartbreaking. Faith was a sweetheart, a wife and now a mother. Una didn't have an experience in even one of those titles and at that moment she saw so clearly that her relationship with Faith would never be the same. It couldn't be because their lives were of different paths completely, at different timelines and so different that they could never meet along the way.

However, through it all, the whole process, Una smiled at both Heera and her mother and said "I love you both more than words can say."

* * *

13th May 1921

Dear Una,

This is the very first time when you're writing a letter to yourself. I wonder if one day, many years later, you will read this… I hope so. I wonder how you will look at it. Will you laugh at your naive, almost twenty-five years old version, or maybe you'll cry? Maybe you'll just smile, memories flashing across your mind and you'll feel grateful for writing this letter years earlier. Time will tell.

You can probably tell from the date that you have just come back from Glen St Mary, after the birth of lovely Heera. You have come back straight into a whirlwind of exams and you hardly have the time to write this letter at all.

It is strange indeed how I feel right now. One would think that exams, at College at that, are one of the most stressful times of one's life. It may be true for most and it always has been for me but this time it calms me. It is one thing that is there for certain and which I can more or less control. Everything else is uncontrollable and wild, or so it presents itself in my mind.

What I am referring to here are, of course, a few different things. There's Joan's disappearance at night that is quite often, Carl's love-sick gaze towards Pamela, another news from home that Mary will become a mother again, making my brain go wild with so many more questions that I have to have the strength to answer myself sooner rather than later… But the most frequent visitor of my mind is Dalvir. Of course, he would be. I came back to Kingsport and see him every day. I talk to him every day and even though we seem to talk as we always do, there's a space between us that I know I have to fill with an answer to and my mind is still blank at the moment. I wonder what you think about that now, Una from the future? Do you think now that this whole situation which I view now as so grim is actually quite funny? Or do you sympathise with your younger self and remember the pain and struggle of hers?

The fact is plain: I _am_ in love with Dalvir. I've known this for a little while now, a little bit before the graduation ball. There's no way denying it and I am so happy that I at least have come to this realisation more or less by myself. That is exactly why I was indeed quite eager for Dalvir to kiss me on that graduation ball, however, it had to happen the way it did. The world isn't as perfect or as simple as that. A realisation of love is one thing, but acting upon it with consequences in mind is quite another. He is so different and yet very much like Walter. He's timid but strong, kind and brave, always there for me and everyone else, he looks prejudice in the eye and smiles with gratitude for being alive with opportunities in his young life. He's a wonderful teacher both in Punjabi and life. I can only hope that I am a good student of his in both.

There's nothing I would rather do right now but to run out of our Cottage and into the boys' house so I could simply bury my face into Dalvir's shirt and let his arms embrace me tight. And yet I am very much aware of this action's consequences.

His family would hate me and as a result, Dalvir would have a complicated, if not an ended completely, relationship with them because of me. And what about that girl his parents want him to marry? What would she do if she found out that Dalvir has a sweetheart back in Canada? What if that would ruin all of her future prospects? What would my Father say? He would ask me how in the far-off future would we raise our children, which God would they follow? I don't know.

 _I don't know._

I don't care what people would say. What the society would say. It may be brave of me to think so and I may be foolish for thinking I'm brave enough to think about such things. However, I truly don't care about that. And I do believe that Dalvir and I could work everything out ourselves. Who I worry for is not myself at all, but everyone else, Dalvir included.

Una from the future, should I not care about the consequences? You already know what I will do. I wish I knew it now. I feel frightened as my mind is getting closer to making a decision. And this decision is dangerous. But it's Dalvir. Someone whom I thought I'd never meet or have the courage to acknowledge after Walter.

And yet here he is. Even right now, right here: in my mind and thoughts always.

So Una, what will it be: love or the world?

Yours for always,

Una Meredith


	16. Chapter 16

**_Chapter XVI_**

When they saw each other through the steam of the train in which she returned to Glen St Mary, everyone at the station would later think of that scene of their reunion with smiles on their faces. Di threw all of her suitcases aside and ran, flew it seemed, straight into Una's arms. They embraced each other and laughed together at something neither would later remember, and tears of joy ran down their faces. It was in that very moment when Una understood how much Di meant to her as a friend, as a person, as a soul-sister. "You have not changed at all!" Di exclaimed and then looked closely at Una's face one more time "But then, something about your _eyes_ is different… They're happier, I think. Are you happy, Una?"

Una kissed away the question as she left a soft kiss on Di's freckled cheek. "Well, I will say that you, Di, have never looked happier yourself. It's a truly beautiful image." she said merrily to her friend as the two collected the three suitcases of Di's and started to head towards the exit of the station where they were to meet Di's mother and father for a ride back to Ingleside.

"Oh, Una, I am." Di said, her cheeks flushed, her eyes dancing and her spirit floating inside and out of her. "And just imagine that: my own twin sister shall have her first baby very, _very_ soon. That does add much of happiness to my being."

Before Una could reply, Anne Blythe and her husband arrived at the station and ferociously started to hug their daughter. Una stood and observed the heartwarming scene and she herself started to lose the track of time. A common occurrence during every one of her visits back to Glen St Mary, especially the ones she made during the summer, right after the exams.

The welcome dinner at Ingleside was loud, but the loud-merry kind, the kind that Una would always consider calming and wonderful. In the spotlight were the Blythe twins, or rather Diana Blythe and her twin sister Mrs Meredith. They were bubbly, flushed with joy to be reunited and concentrated on this new stage that Nan was about to enter in her young life.

However, in Una's eyes, someone else was in the spotlight. Dalvir, a warmly welcomed guest for a whole month at Ingleside, was sitting between Jem and Carl, chatting away and glancing, as if out of habit, at Una with a look that always made her head whirl with a dilemma. Una was happy he was there, that she could talk to him and pretend that everything was as it always has been. She was very worried, though, about him going back to India for the remainder of the summer at the end of July. It so happened that her diary had no more pages left for her to cover everything she felt. And metaphorically, she felt like this too, she had too many thoughts on her mind, if that was even possible.

"Come, walk with me, darling." a tap on the shoulder woke her up from people-watching and daydreaming. Rosemary extended a hand towards her with a neverending, sweet smile. Una took her hand without a question and stood up, glancing for a moment at Dalvir who was deep in conversation with Jem over something only they knew. She was disappointed their eyes didn't meet this time.

Rosemary took Una's arm under her own and started to walk outside, into the garden of Ingleside. Una realised then that despite her being in Glen for the past four days, Mother Rosemary and herself didn't have much time to spend only with each other, talking about everything like they always used to. In moments like this, upon realisation how rare those moments have been ever since Una moved away to Kingsport, it was then that she would feel eternally homesick, despite being at home.

"Una, I wanted to have some time alone with you to ask you something very personal." Rosemary started, her voice tender and a soft smile never leaving her lips. Una looked at her and knew at once from the glow in Rosemary's eyes what the question will be. She nodded, giving up into their inevitable conversation. "From your letters and from the memorable Christmas which Dalvir also attended, I have started, for some time now, to gather questions regarding whether you, Una, have the kind of feelings for him that might go slightly beyond those that one has for a friend, even a bosom one?" she asked, her voice gentle as the summer breeze brushing against their faces.

Una sighed a little, in preparation. "I figured that you'd think that. I don't lie, as you know, not even in letters, and I suppose my very being doesn't lie either so I thought it impossible for you not to notice. So, the answer to your question is yes, I do have those feelings for Dalvir." it felt almost surreal for Una to say those words out loud, she hasn't yet until that very moment. It made her feel warm inside and safe but she also felt a hint of anxiety which pulled strings on her lungs as she looked at Rosemary again. "However, I am in a dilemma, as I think you might have guessed also. I don't know how to put our two very different backgrounds into one. I don't know how to plan for the future, how to please us but _also_ our families. I just… _don't know_." Una felt her eyes filling up with tears and she quickly pushed them away with her hand.

Rosemary stopped in her tracks to stand right in front of Una. She placed her slender hands on Una's cheeks and smiled at her, in a way a mother smiles at her silly children. "Dearest Una," she said gently yet decidedly "-I agree that in your case those dilemmas are truer and more serious. But believe me, everyone has those when they feel love, that special kind, towards another person. What I've just learned from your answer, however, is that you do have your confusions but not about Dalvir. He is the most certain part of it all. And so my advice to you is: choose him, not the things you are uncertain of."

Una didn't realise but tears started to roll down her eyes and her pink lips formed the widest smile Rosemary had ever seen on her face. "You have our blessing, Una. You always have and always will." Rosemary added and chuckled at the surprised face of Una's "Why, Una darling, of course, I've talked to your father about my little observations. And how else would your father respond to his daughter who loves a kind man who too loves her back?"

Una chuckled merrily, through her tears and immediately embraced Rosemary tightly. "Thank you, mum." she whispered into Rosemary's ear, her eyes closed, as she thought about two mothers her life was blessed with. The two shared a look of happiness and then Una galloped back to Ingleside, through the green grass and tall, green trees. She felt as if she was flying and that nothing in the whole, wide world could take that away. Rosemary was right. Her heart was always certain, it was her brain that wasn't. But now she understood that when it came to love, the brain has to give in to the desires of one's heart. And at that moment, she felt, and was, the bravest person in the world.

However, as the luck would have it, as soon as she opened the back door to the dining room, she entered a scene full of panic, excitement and rushing people, back and forth. Una's eyes searched for Dalvir nonetheless but before they could find him, Di grabbed her hand fearfully " _Una_ , there's something wrong, there's something wrong!" she whispered swiftly, her face pale and eyes in bewilderment.

Una's train of thoughts was lost at once "What? What is it?" she said, terrified.

"Nan just went into labour but she's in so much pain, Una. I saw father's face and he looked worried. I don't know what's happening. You have to help me."

"Of course, Di, of course." was Una's reply and her heart was heavy twice over.

* * *

The night was long and it seemed like the morning sun would never rise again. Di never let go of Una's hand and both were cuddled up against each other, in the hallway of Ingleside's first floor. Nan was screaming and moaning inside the old Blythe twins' bedroom where Dr Blythe and Jerry were located also all evening and night long. Una, Di, Mrs Dr Blythe, Susan and Rosemary were just outside, talking and listening, trying to be there but to also leave some space for Nan's big moment.

All of them were exhausted, terrified and pale, sitting on the floor, one against the other. Una's mind was travelling from the present moment to the thought of Dalvir. She was split in half and would like nothing more but to be in two places at once. The lack of sleep made her emotions feel numb yet they were still noticeable within her heart and from time to time she felt guilty that she thought about Dalvir while Nan was in a difficult and painful labour.

Eventually, they all heard a cry, a newborn cry and everyone, Una included, immediately started crying. It was as if all the feelings and emotions that they all tried to hide under their skin now resurfaced in the form of their tears. All the women embraced one another and chatted away about how wonderful to know that it's all over and wondering about how Nan is doing. However, right before Anne knocked on the bedroom door, another squealing sound was heard, a little different from the one that appeared in the air five minutes earlier. All the women looked at each other with wide eyes and then all without any exception started to laugh and cry happily.

It was then when Anne opened the door to the bedroom, stuck her head through it and said audibly: "Nan, darling, did you just have _twins_?".

It was Jerry who answered the question by coming out of the room, flushed, tears streaming down his eyes, with two bundles in each of his arms. Sounds of joy and relief could be heard from Una, Di, Anne, Susan and Rosemary. "One of each." Jerry announced merrily, pride sparkling in his eyes like stars.

"Now, that _is_ a surprise!" Di exclaimed joyfully whilst peeking at two little heads, calmly nesting against their father's shirt "How did we not know?"

Gilbert now stuck his head out for a moment and smiled tiredly "Now that is a question for the ages." he said and laughter followed.

"This is little Epiphany Diana." Jerry held up the little bundle in his right arm and looked expectantly at Di. She chuckled with gratitude and took her namesake in her own shaking hands, looking at Epiphany as if she was the most precious thing in the entire world. "And this is tiny Tobias John." he now looked at Rosemary who with tears in her eyes instinctively took Toby in her arms, looking at him lovingly. The lack of words from all the women spoke for themselves. They were all overflown by joy and relief.

Suddenly Una gasped with excitement "Oh, what a coincidence!" she cried "It's already past midnight so that means that your twins share a birthday with Bruce!"

Jerry's smile widened and he kissed his little sister's cheek "Thirteen years between them. What tricks does fate play on us all?" he smiled gratefully.

"Can we see Nan yet, Gilbert?" Anne asked hurriedly whilst admiring her new set of grandchildren with her loving eyes.

"Come on in!"

The door opened and everyone but Una came in. She prefered not to enter that special room as she felt that she did not quite belong in it. She observed how everyone gathered around Nan who was now comfortably sitting up in her old bed. Nan looked like she had seen death and then came back to life. In the morning Una would learn from Gilbert that that was actually the case and that it was a true miracle that Nan managed to survive the delivery of her twins and with a smile on her face at that.

Una smiled at the view, the view that symbolised unconditional love, devotion and strength and she felt as if she had just woken up again. Thus, she quickly ran upstairs and knocked on Jem's old bedroom's door. In a matter of seconds, the door opened and before her stood Dalvir, fully awake and attentive in his blue nightgown. "Is the baby born? Did I hear the baby crying or was it all a dream?" he asked nervously and melted Una's heart completely. She remembered how he was so eager to stay with them all to wait for the baby (or now the babies) to be born but was very politely commanded by Mrs Dr Blythe to go back to his room and rest as _he_ , as their guest, could do it and should do that also.

She smiled at him in a way that she never thought she could: fully and without hesitation. "Yes, but it's _two_ babies. A complete but wonderful surprise." she told him, breathlessly as her eyes started to swallow up with tears for the fourth time that day.

Dalvir's smile of relief turned into a concerned look as he put his hands on both of her shoulders "What is it, Una, are you alright?" he asked softly.

She looked up at him and despite thinking seconds beforehand that she would be anxious and scared, she was calm and ready to choose love over the world. She put her hands on his cheeks and looked deeply into his coal eyes. "I've never been better." she whispered and kissed him on the lips. Dalvir was surprised at first but quickly rejoiced and put his arms around her waist, returning the kiss with a passion Una never thought she'd be blessed to experience. It could have been minutes, hours, days or seconds but when their lips parted Una did not know how long that kiss lasted. It was the kind of mystery she always hoped to have in those small, meaningful moments of life.

Dalvir's hands touched Una's cheeks softly and his face radiated with something more than happiness itself, it radiated with love for her and Una felt it through the look he gave her. At that moment, there was nothing and no one else for her but Dalvir Singh. "Thank you for this answer." he whispered to her gratefully.

She chuckled "You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it." she replied and allowed him to kiss her again, and again and again until she completely lost the track of real time and the only time she now knew was set by Dalvir's love and his kisses.


End file.
